Campaign management system - suspension

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a computer implemented campaign management system (CAMS), the system including a graphical user interface (GUI), the management system (CAMS) processing a plurality of participant records (PREC) according to a user-configured process structure (PS) of a plurality of configured logic templates (CLT); wherein the participant records (PREC) comprise participant attributes (PA), and wherein the processing of participant records involves processing or modification of one or more of the participant attributes (PA) of the participant record (PREC), wherein the management system reads, processes and/or modifies participant attributes (PA) of participant records (PREC) by a sequence of one of more executable program fragments (EPF) according to the process structure (PS) and wherein the execution of one of more executable program fragments (EPF) can be suspended in response to user action (UACT) and/or participant action (PACT) and wherein the execution of the process structure can be resumed in response to user action (UACT) and/or participant action (PACT).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/919,798, filed on Jul. 2, 2020, the disclosureof which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119 to Danish PatentApplication No. PA 2019 70432 filed Jul. 2, 2019, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to implementations of campaign managementsystems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A large part of communication with consumers or parties of interest isautomated in today's CRM systems. Such systems may e.g. be referred toas campaign management systems. Different variations of such types ofsystems are well-known both from patent literature and also fromcommercialized products from e.g. Marketo, Salesforce, Journey Planner,etc. A common approach to most such state-of-the-art systems is that thecampaign is established by a programmer by means of a graphical userinterface. The campaign is designed on the basis of a number of standardsteps which may be intuitively combined to form a process structurerunning the campaign on the basis of data from an ERP or CRM backendsystem. These steps may also be understood as logic template that thedesigner will have to both combine in order to obtain a desired processstructure of the campaign, but the logic template also forms a basis bymeans of which a user med configure parameters associated with thetemplate.

A challenge related to such well known and wide-spread systems is thatsuch systems are relatively complex to design/program and a typicalcampaign designer, e.g. a marketing person, will need to rely heavily onassistance from the IT department when designing and setting up thesystem.

A further challenge is that a system designer, where setting up a systemmay risk spamming large numbers of clients or contacts unintentionally,if the campaign is set up incorrectly or because some user behaviourcouldn't be foreseen.

Such limitation severely restricts the dynamics of campaign managementsystems and it restricts the designer in really getting in touch withthe participants to be reached by the campaign, as the above spammingsimply cannot be risked as such spamming would backfire heavily to theenterprise subjecting clients or potential clients with irrelevant orannoying communication.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventors have identified the above-mentioned problems andchallenges related to prior art campaign management systems, andsubsequently made the below-described invention which may mitigate someof the above-described challenges and/or provide advantages describedbelow.

The invention relates to a computer implemented campaign managementsystem, the system including a graphical user interface, the managementsystem processing a plurality of participant records according to auser-configured process structure of a plurality of configured logictemplates; wherein the participant records comprise participantattributes, and wherein the processing of participant records involvesprocessing or modification of one or more of the participant attributesof the participant record, wherein the management system reads,processes and/or modifies participant attributes of participant recordsby a sequence of one of more executable program fragments according tothe process structure and wherein the execution of one of moreexecutable program fragments can be suspended in response to user actionand/or participant action and wherein the execution of the processstructure can be resumed in response to user action and/or participantaction.

The user interface applied for configuration of the campaign managementsystem is typically a graphical user interface as understood by theskilled person in the art. Evidently, the graphical implementation mayadvantageously be supplemented by audio or other type of suitablecommunication carrier, as long as the user of the system is able toestablish a firm control of the system in terms of configuration andexecution.

A participant action in the present context may simply benon-responsiveness or a specific action involving that the execution ofthe process structure is temporarily suspended. A participant action mayalso involve an action during the execution of the process structure,resulting in that further processing is made impossible as theprocessing as defined by the user according to the process structure andthe actions of the participant has effectively directed the executioninto a dead-end or e.g. an unforeseen dead-lock. In a typical system ofthe present kind, such a state would result in a forced exit to ensurethat participants are not stuck in a certain executed campaign. In thepresent embodiment of the invention, such a state is acceptable andactually advantageous in particular if run-time modifications of theprocess structure is allowed.

A dead end or a dead-lock in the present context may from a processperspective be acceptable as the campaign management system offers theuser the ability of adding, modifying or “repairing” the processstructure without ejecting participants or terminating the execution ofthe process structure with respect to participant records already partlyprocessed by the process structure.

A further benefit of the embodiment of the invention is that a user,i.e. the designer of the process, may actively decide to pause theexecution of the some or all of the process structure in order tocorrect or re-design the process without ejecting the participants. Inpractice this means that a participant may both be “actively” broughtout of a dead-end or alternatively simply avoid reentry just becausesome of the process structure has modified, adapted or optimized.

In an embodiment of the invention, the process structure is graphicallyillustrated by means of the graphical user interface.

In an embodiment of the invention, the graphical user interface isarranged to display graphical elements, each graphical element beingassociated with a logic template.

In an embodiment of the invention, said logic templates comprise usereditable parameters being editable by using the graphical userinterface,

the logic templates further comprising an executable program fragmentbeing executable on the basis of said user editable parameters and oneor more of said participant records.

In an embodiment of the invention, the graphical elements are couplableusing said graphical user interface by a user, the coupling defining theprocess structure of said executable program fragments of said logictemplates in relation to said participant records.

In an embodiment of the invention, said process structure and saidparticipant records for processing according to said process structurerepresent a campaign.

In an embodiment of the invention, a user configured logic templateforms a configured logic template.

In an embodiment of the invention, wherein the participant recordscomprise participant attributes being processable by said executableprogram fragments of said configured logic templates according to saidprocess structure.

In an embodiment of the invention, the participant attributes compriseglobal participant attributes and local participant attributes.

In an embodiment of the invention, said global participant attributesare defined across a plurality of campaigns defined by differentrespective process structures, and wherein said local participantattributes are defined for a subset of said plurality of campaigns CAM).

In an embodiment of the invention, said campaign management systemcomprises a processing engine configured to perform said processing ofsaid participant records according to said process structure.

In an embodiment of the invention, the process structure is referred towith reference to version of process structure. The process structurebasically defining some basic workflows of the campaign managementsystem may thus be present and stored in one or more process structureversions, e.g. two or more process structure versions PSV1, PSV2.

In an embodiment of the invention, one or more of said local participantattributes is a user-defined or user-named variable.

The user may configure local participant attributes of different datatypes and provide user-defined variable names, or user-defined attributenames, for reference in the process structure, e.g. in different logictemplates. According to the present invention, local participantattributes may be variables which can be named/defined by the user,thereby allowing the user to assign meaning to the local participantattributes. From a technical point of view, it allows the user toname/define variables and use them in one process structure togetherwith the global participant attributes originating from master data, anddefine/name variable differently in another process structure. Therebythe variables that are only relevant for a specific process structure,does not have be implemented in the master data or be directlytransferrable to other process structures. This may reduce confusionsand contamination with respect to the master data, and improve theability of the user/designer to manage and use the attributes availablein a specific campaign. This makes embodiments of the present inventionmore robust and agile across different process structures.

In an embodiment of the invention, the graphical user interface isconfigured with an interface for the user to create or configure a localparticipant attribute and wherein the user may configure the localparticipant attribute by selecting at least one of a user-defined nameand a predefined attribute type.

Local participant attribute may in an advantageous embodiment simply becreated and configured by a user through the graphical user interface,and allowing the user to define the name and datatype. According to thepresent disclosure, participant attribute type generally refers to thedata type of a participant attribute. This may be simple base data typessuch as Boolean, integer, float, etc., and may in various embodimentsalso be built-in or user-defined complex data types or structures suchas arrays, format validated data fields like telephone numbers or emailaddresses, enumerations, structures of same or different datatypes likeaddresses, images, documents, etc.

In an embodiment of the invention, a logic template is configurable bythe user for establishment of a local participant attribute and whereinthe user may configure the local participant attribute by providing auser-defined attribute name to local participant attribute whenconfiguring the logic template.

The logic template which is configurable by the user for establishmentof a local participant attribute is according to an advantageousembodiment simply configured by a user activation of a graphical elementreferring to the relevant logic template to be configured and the userthen type a name in a field predefined for naming of a new localparticipant attribute.

In an embodiment of the invention, a logic template is configurable bythe user for establishment of a local participant attribute and whereinthe user may configure the local participant attribute by providing auser-defined attribute name to the local participant attribute whenconfiguring the logic template and wherein the local participantattribute is established by selecting one of a number of predefinedattribute types.

The logic template which is configurable by the user for establishmentof a local participant attribute is according to an advantageousembodiment simply configured by a user activation of a graphical elementreferring to the relevant logic template to be configured and the userthen type a name in a field predefined for naming of a new localparticipant attribute and select one of a predefined attribute types.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention a configurable logictemplate may be configured by means of a graphical user interface wherethe user interface facilitates typing of the desired name of anattribute to be applied in the campaign about to be designed. Thegraphical facilitation of such a naming may e.g. be obtained by means ofa text editor and typography dedicated for the definition of a new localparticipant attribute. The text editor may e.g. activated though theconfigurable logic template during the configuration of template. Analternative approach could also be a configurable logic templatecomprising dedicated predefined fields where a user may input endthereby define the name of the local participant attribute.

The data type of the named local participant attribute may beestablished in the same way when configuring the relevant logic templateand the user may be assisted by offering one or more predefinedselectable data types.

When a local participant attribute has been defined during aconfiguration, the local participant attribute may be applied during theexecution of the specific campaign. In this way, the user defining thecampaign may not only rely on the master data for use in theconfiguration of the campaign but may also add further attributeswithout requiring such data to be present or being modelled in themaster data. This adds an agility and dynamic not hitherto provided inany campaign management system. A local participant attribute may thusbe defined and used in one campaign only in relation to the participantsaffected or specified for the present campaign.

Advantages related to this way of technical implementation a campaignare many. Two advantages include:

-   -   The user defining the campaign may have less or little knowledge        to the general corporate data base as such data bases tends to        grow very complex in large business and that an extreme control        and maintenance of data models in such data bases must be        applied in order to ensure that data fields are perceived and        maintained correctly.    -   The option of defining local participant attributes makes it        possible to provide a campaign management system which offers        are high degree of privacy. The system may e.g. be programmed to        disallow use of local participant attributes across campaigns.        This means that the data flow, specifically the data obtained        through interaction with a participant in one campaign may be        contained in this specific campaign. An important point if        allowing a certain degree of cross-campaign use it is completely        easy to designate, find or delete such data. A participant may        thus request information about which data are contained within        the campaign management system as it is very easy to restrict or        monitor cross-campaign use.

In an embodiment of the invention, a user defined local participantattribute is used to contain data related to interaction with specificparticipants.

In an embodiment of the invention, said two or more process structureversions are graphically defined, preferably by a plurality of graphicalelements associated with said plurality of configured logic templates,respectively, and being couplable by graphical connections using agraphical user interface by a user, the couplings defining the processstructure of said executable program fragments of said logic templatesin relation to said participant records.

The graphical editability of the process structure may preferably beprovided by arranging the graphical user interface to allow the user toconnect graphical elements associated with logic templates by means ofgraphical connections, and providing an interface for editing the usereditable parameters to configure the logic templates. The same graphicaluser interface may allow the user to define several process structureversions simultaneously or one at a time, by replacing or adding logictemplates, changing and adding graphical connection, changingconfigurations of logic templates, etc.

The graphical user interface is configured to allow the user of thecampaign management system to build and illustrate a process structureand configure individual logic templates, by presenting graphicalelements, graphical connections, etc., on a screen, and facilitatinginteraction with the graphical elements and connections, etc., by inputfrom the user e.g. by computer mouse, keyboard, touch gestures, etc.

In the present disclosure, a graphical element is a representation of alogic template in the graphical user interface. It may preferably beinteractive for the user to drag-and-drop, relocate, and otherwiseinteract with the configuration of the related logic template, etc.Graphical elements are connectable by graphical connections.

When designing a campaign in the graphical user interface, the graphicalelements representing the individual logic templates are gettingconnected by graphical connections. The graphical connections therebybecome the definition of the process structure, together with theconfigurations made to the individual logic templates. Several logictemplates may preferably have a plurality of sequence forward points,and for such logic templates, each graphical connection is preferablyconnected to a specific sequence forward point, in order to facilitatedifferent connections for the different sequence forward points of alogic template. Likewise, in an embodiment providing a plurality ofsequence receive points for a logic template, the graphical connectionsare connected to specific such sequence receive points. In other words,the graphical connections preferably bind specific sequence forwardpoints to specific sequence receive points, and are used by the user todefine and illustrate the various configured process sequences, andthereby indirectly by the processing engine to determine the sequence ofexecution of executable program fragments and related configurations.

In an embodiment of the invention, said campaign management systemcomprises a processing engine configured to process said participantrecords according to said process structure.

The campaign management system comprises a processing engine to processthe participant records in accordance with a process structure. Besidesthe provision of the graphical user interface allowing a user to couplelogic templates to define configured process sequences and edit usereditable parameters of the logic templates to produce configured logictemplates, a processing engine is provided to process the thusconfigured campaign. A main purpose of the processing engine is toinitiate the execution of the executable program fragments of theindividual logic templates in a sequence defined by the processstructure and as appropriate for a particular participant record basedon its track history and any relevant process structure versions, andmanage this for all the participant records in a campaign or severalcampaigns.

By the present invention, the processing engine is enabled to processseveral participant records associated with the same participant.

In an embodiment of the invention, said processing of one of saidparticipant records by said processing engine comprises executing saidexecutable program fragments of said configured logic templatesaccording to one of said configured process sequences determined atleast partially on the basis of said one participant record.

The processing engine determines, for each participant record, whichexecutable program fragment to execute next. The options for theprocessing engine is limited to the configured process sequences definedin the process structure, and further limited by the track history ofthe particular participant record. In other words, the prior executionof a participant record and the choices made in that connection,possibly by the associated participant, and in particular the lastexecuted executable program fragment for that particular participantrecord, determines which possible configured process sequences areavailable to that participant record, and the outcome of the lastexecuted executable program fragment in terms of a determined sequenceforward point will due to the connections between sequence forwardpoints and sequence receive points of logic templates defined in theprocess structure, determine a specific logic template and executableprogram fragment to execute next for that participant record.

If no connection is defined in the process structure for the particularsequence forward point, no next logic template is defined, and nofurther processing with respect to that participant record is performed,until a connection is defined and processing can resume, preferably in anew process structure version. Thereby an advantageous possibility ofactually processing according to only partly configured campaigns to theextent possible is provided, and/or the possibility of maintainingparticipant records for further processing even though they have reacheda point that is presently conceived as an end of the campaign. Thelatter allows the user to come back at a later time, even years later,and extend the campaign with further logic templates, even for theparticipant records that were already processed with respect to theoriginal extent of the campaign.

The processing engine is computer-implemented, and the execution itselfof the individual executable program fragments may be performed by theprocessing engine, preferably by parallel processing in severalexecution threads in a queue-based execution system. In anotherembodiment, for example in larger systems with many participant recordsand/or many logic templates, the executable program fragment executionis delegated to one or more separate execution engines, preferablyrunning at one or more separate hardware, and the processing enginemerely initiates the execution of individual executable programfragments at appropriate times according to the configured processsequences. In another embodiment, some executable program fragments areexecuted by the processing engine, and others are delegated for externalexecution, e.g. a logic template made available by a third party andhosted at a third party server with its own processor.

In an embodiment of the invention, said processing engine is configuredto select a next executable program fragment to execute with respect toa particular participant record, the selection being based on adetermined first sequence forward point of a configured logic templateof a last executed executable program fragment of said particularparticipant record and said process structure defined by said graphicalconnections between sequence forward points and sequence receive pointsof said configured logic templates.

In other words, the processing engine is configured to determine whichlogic template's executable program fragment was last executed withrespect to a particular participant record and which sequence forwardpoint that execution resulted in. Based on that information, which mayfor example be retrieved from the track history of the participantrecord or be included in a finished-message from the logic template, theprocessing engine can look up in the process structure which logictemplate is connected to that sequence forward point, and therebydetermine which executable program fragment to initiate execution of.

In an embodiment of the invention, said determined first sequenceforward point of said configured logic template of said last executedexecutable program fragment of said particular participant record isdetermined from said track history of said particular participantrecord.

The track histories of the participant records provide an advantageousway for the processing engine to determine the next step for eachparticipant record in the light of the process structure defined by theuser.

In an embodiment of the invention, said selection of said nextexecutable program fragment to execute with respect to a particularparticipant record is based on the last entry in said executed processsequence of said track history of said particular participant record.

The last entry of the track histories preferably denotes the lastlyexecuted logic templates and resulting sequence forward points for eachparticipant record. Comparing that information with the defined processstructure directly provides the next step to execute for eachparticipant record.

In an embodiment of the invention, said processing engine with respectto a particular participant record is configured to perform the stepsof: initiating execution of a first executable program fragment of afirst configured logic template on the basis of said particularparticipant record; determining for said particular participant record afirst sequence forward point of said first configured logic template onthe basis of said execution of said first executable program fragment onthe basis of said particular participant record; determining for saidparticular participant record a second configured logic template basedon said determined first sequence forward point and said processstructure defined by said graphical connections between sequence forwardpoints and sequence receive points of said configured logic templates;and initiating execution of a second executable program fragment of saiddetermined second configured logic template on the basis of saidparticular participant record.

In an embodiment of the invention, said processing engine is furtherconfigured to perform the following step after determining said firstsequence forward point for said particular participant record: loggingsaid first configured logic template and determined first sequenceforward point in said track history of said particular participantrecord.

The registration in the track history may be performed as a finishingaction of each logic template, or a function of the processing enginewhen receiving a message that a logic template has finished processing aparticular participant record.

In an embodiment of the invention, an executed process sequence for saidparticular participant record is determined by a sequence of executedexecutable program fragments for said particular participant record.

In other words, the track history comprises the sequence of executableprogram fragments that has been executed for the particular participantrecord.

In an embodiment of the invention, said processing engine isqueue-based.

By providing a queue-based implementation of the processing engine, theprocessing of the for example tens of thousands of participant recordsby for example tens or hundreds of logic templates of the processstructure can be made asynchronous and thereby robust and fast even whenthe executable program fragments of some logic templates areconsiderably slower to execute than others, or apply delays forunpredictable amounts of time of for example days or weeks.

At the end of the execution of an executable program fragment withrespect to a particular participant record, data may for example beexchanged via a queue to notify the processing engine that thisparticular participant record is ready to proceed to execution byanother executable program fragment. The processing engine performs thestep of determining which logic template's executable program fragmentshould be executed next for this particular participant record as forexample described above, and initiates that execution. As thequeue-based processing preferably implies an asynchronous processing,the processing engine need not monitor or await the execution of anexecutable program fragment, but is free to determine and initiateexecution of other of the possible numerous participant records. As soonas the execution is finished, a data exchange via the queue will makesure that the handling of the participant record is returned to theprocessing engine. Several coinciding data exchanges related toprocessing of different participant records may be placed on a queue andthereby await processing without risking that any participant record isskipped.

The execution of an executable program fragment with respect to aparticular participant record may also in itself be asynchronous, sothat an execution that applies a delay or is required to await an inputfrom the participant or make an asynchronous request to a service, e.g.an online, external third party service, may suspend the execution withrespect to that particular participant record while waiting, and insteadperform execution with respect to a different participant record. Inthis example, queue-based data exchange may be employed as a means toresume processing when the awaited response is received. Unpredictableor unreliable wait times, e.g. awaiting a possible interaction from aparticipant, may also be processed in parallel with a timer function sothat if a timer runs out, or a predefined time is reached, before theprimary action happens, e.g. participant response, the timer sends aresumption message to the processor, which may decide according to theconfiguration of the logic template whether it should proceed inaccordance with a lack of response condition.

Alternative to be queue-based, the processing engine may for exampleiterate through a collection of participant records and for eachparticipant record initiate execution of a relevant logic template'sexecutable program fragment based on the track history and processstructure. When through all participant records, the processing enginerepeats the iteration from the first participant record again. Thisprocedure may also be used to restart processing, e.g. after a systemreboot, where the system state may be recovered based on the trackhistories, and processing started by iterating through all participantrecords, after which the procedure may change to queue-based processingas described above. Alternatively, the iteration may be based on acollection of logic templates of the process structure, and for eachlogic template determine from the track histories of the participantrecords and the process structure, which participant records are to beprocessed by that particular logic template. When through all logictemplates, the processing engine repeats the iteration from the firstlogic template again.

In an embodiment of the invention, the processing engine's initiation ofan execution of an executable program fragment for a particularparticipant record involves adding the particular participant record toan execution queue of that executable program fragment.

In other words, the initiation of execution by the processing enginedoes not necessarily mean an immediate execution. In a large system withmany participant records, it may often be the case that the executionmust wait for another execution to finish first. For some logictemplates, it would also be inexpedient or otherwise undesirable toallow the logic template to be processed at any time or as frequent aspossible. Hence, the processing engine initiating execution means thatan execution is requested to be carried out, however preferably inaccordance with any configuration of execution restrictions of the logictemplate.

In an embodiment of the invention, a user editable parameter of aconfigured logic template is configured to control an execution intervalof the executable program fragment of that configured logic template.

Different types of logic templates may be configured with executionintervals determining how often their executable program fragment can beexecuted. This may for example be relevant for a logic template thatgenerates a communication to a participant where the timing could aswell be coordinated with an expected appropriate time for communicatingwith that participant, e.g. avoiding phone calls during night time, orfor example be relevant for a logic template that performs a request toa database or third party service to avoid an overload of redundantrequests to be performed as frequently as the hardware of the processingengine allows, e.g. restricting database updates to be performed once aday. During the execution interval of a logic template, the processingengine may simply queue execution of participant records that accordingto the process structure are bound for execution by that logic template.

In an embodiment of the invention, the processing engine is configuredto receive a manual request to initiate execution of a particularconfigured logic template's executable program fragment with respect toall or specific participant records located in queue for that particularconfigured logic template.

In a preferred embodiment, it is possible to manually overrule therestriction imposed by an execution interval, and request an immediateexecution of a particular logic template. The processing engine may thenperform the execution of that particular logic template's executableprogram fragment with respect to all the participant records waiting inqueue for that logic template, or for a specific participant record.This gives the user an advantageous possibility of manually impactingthe processing, for example when a generally applicable executioninterval is undesirable under particular circumstances, or a plannedexecution was not carried out, for example because of an error situationor manual pausing of the system.

In an embodiment of the invention, the campaign management system isconfigured for executing a design mode and a live mode, wherein themanagement system in design mode executes a graphical design environmentof a campaign wherein the graphical elements are couplable by a user byusing said graphical user interface, the coupling defining a processstructure of said executable program fragments on the basis saidconfigured logic templates in relation to said participant records andwherein the live mode for the campaign executes the process structuredesigned by the user in the design mode for processing of individualparticipant records and wherein the management system, in the live mode,reads, processes and/or modifies participant attributes of participantrecords by a sequence of one of more executable program fragmentsaccording to the process structure.

In an embodiment of the invention, the campaign management system, for aspecified campaign, is configured for running in both live mode anddesign mode at the same time by enabling a user updating the processstructure to an updated process structure while at the same time runningin live mode on the basis of the process structure.

In an embodiment of the invention, the campaign management system isconfigured for suspension of the execution of the executable programfragments associated to the process structure in live mode while theprocess structure is modified in design mode into an updated processstructure.

In an embodiment of the invention, the processing of individualparticipant records in live mode involves reading and/or modification ofthe participant attributes of the individual participant record therebyinvoking a progression of the executable program fragments relative tothe process structure of the processing of the participant record.

In an embodiment of the invention, the processing of individualparticipant records in live mode for each participant record is executedin an executed process sequence designating the sequence of executableprogram fragments that have actually been executed with respect to theparticipant record at a given time and wherein the current state of theparticipant record includes the current values of the participantattributes of the record and the current participant track history atthe given time.

In an embodiment of the invention, the current state of a specifiedparticipant record is monitored and optionally visualized as aprogression relative to a process structure of a campaign and whereinthe progression relative to the process structure is referred to as theparticipant location

It should be noted that a participant location is a somewhat abstractdesignation of the process as neither the participant, nor theparticipant record, is moved or transferred during the process. Theparticipant record rather captures the present state of the attributes,including the registered track history of the participant recordrelative to the progression along the process structure. In real life,the participant, will however experience progression along the processstructure, of course only to the degree that participant interactionsare in fact involved.

In an embodiment of the invention, the processing of the participantrecords is monitored with respect to and in relation to the processstructure and graphically illustrated by means of the graphical userinterface with reference to or related to graphical elementsrepresenting configured logic templates of the user-defined processstructure.

It is thereby possible to illustrate the progression of the processingof the participant records and it is thereby possible to establishwhether participants are dead-ended or whether some of the processstructure needs to be modified.

In an embodiment of the invention, the progression of the processing ofthe participant records related to a specified campaign are graphicallyillustrated by means of the graphical user interface with reference toor related to graphical elements representing configured logic templatesof the user-defined process structure as accumulated numbers ofparticipant records having a certain participant location.

All participant records in the process of being processed according tothe process structure may be illustrated or subsets of the participantrecords may be illustrated depending on the type of knowledge a user ora supervisor running the campaign may need.

In an embodiment of the invention, the progression of the processing ofthe participant records related to a specified campaign are graphicallyillustrated by means of the graphical user interface with reference toor related to graphical elements representing configured logic templatesof the user-defined process structure as accumulated numbers ofparticipant records having been processed via a certain participantlocation.

In the present context, the meaning of participant records which havebeen processed along a certain participant location has the meaning thata participant in the present context may pass by a certain step, e.g. anexecutable program fragment, several times. If this is the case, it maybe highly advantageous to monitor not only participant present at agiven location, but it may alternatively or also be advantageous for acampaign monitoring the number of participants, as represented by theirrespective participant records, having passed a certain location asdefined relative to the process structure.

In an embodiment of the invention, the progression of the processing ofthe participant records related to a specified campaign are graphicallyillustrated by means of the graphical user interface with reference toor related to graphical elements representing configured logic templatesof the user-defined process structure as accumulated numbers ofparticipant records, and wherein the graphically illustrated participantrecords are filtered with respect to a filtering parameter.

A filtering parameter in the present context may relate to manydifferent possible ways of extracting the desired information. Thefiltering could be performed with respect to the participant gender,age, preferences with respect to products, etc. The filtering would assuch then e.g. provide a possibility of monitoring visually theaccumulated number of total participants of a certain campaign havingentered the different “steps” of the process structure, and then switchto another view where only male participants are illustrated. In thisway, it may be possible for the campaign designer, the user, or theperson in responsibility of the campaign in a live mode to view andcheck not only whether the campaign is running as intended but alsocheck if some groups of participants are following different paths alongthe process structure. Everything may be performed in real-time. This isin high contrast to state of the art systems where complicated analysiscan only be applied as summarized presentations and usually only aftertermination of the campaign.

Such filtering may also give the person responsible of the campaigninformation to decide whether the campaign should be optimized orpaused, completely or partly.

In an embodiment of the invention, the filtering parameter includesgender, age, country, nationality, consumption history, relevant localattributes related to a specific campaign, etc.

In an embodiment of the invention, the individual participant recordscan be accessed for at least read-only via the graphical elements of theprocess structure or the graphically illustrated accumulated numbers ofparticipant records which have entered a certain stage of the processingaccording to the process structure

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention a user of the campaignmanagement system may examine a campaign, preferably a running campaign,with reference to the individual graphical elements. This may e.g. bedone by clicking the graphical elements, or the graphical elements maye.g. be designed to visualize accumulated number of participant recordswhich have been “passed” the respective executable program fragments inquestions. These types of live data may visualize in an easy way how thecampaign is progressing, and the user may react on the development e.g.by actively suspend to campaign for a while, e.g. when updating theprocess structure downstream of a potential dead-end or a configuredlogic template not functioning according to intention.

In an embodiment of the invention, the user interface of the campaignmanagement system facilitates a user initiated suspension uponactivation of the user interface in relation to a specific campaign andwherein a suspension command suspends the processing of one or moreexecutable program fragments in response to said activation and whereina resume command resumes the execution of the suspended one or moreexecutable program fragments.

When allowing a user invoked suspension of the processing of participantrecords in a certain campaign, it may be possible for the user to refineor restructure the process structure, e.g. according to changedambitions with respect to the campaign but also in order to modify or“repair” the campaign in response to how the specific campaign isactually progressing.

In an embodiment of the invention, the campaign management systemcomprises a graphical button available for the user triggering asuspension command and triggering a resume command

The graphical button for suspending and resuming the execution of thecampaign may be established and defined for the user as two dedicatedbuttons, or they may simply be formed as one button which, whenactivated triggers a suspension command and when deactivated triggers aresumption of the execution of the campaign in question. Numerous otherbutton or communication implementations may be applied within the scopeof the invention as long as the user is able to trigger a suspension ora resume command.

Thus, a specific command, e.g. defined by a combination of characterswhich maybe input by the user, may be applied for both suspension and/orresuming of the execution of the campaign.

It should however be noted, that the special scenario, as facilitated byan embodiment of the invention, where a user, e.g. the campaign designeror the person responsible for the real-life running of the campaign,actively and manually decides to pause the execution of some of or allof the one or more executable program fragments is very advantageous inthe sense that such an active pausing, including the option ofrestarting the process for the participants already involved in thecampaign, facilitates that the user may modify or repair the currentprocess structure without terminating the campaign completely andthereby risking annoyed participants. Such a complete termination wouldthus typically result in that the participants would either be discardedor re-entered into a new campaign, where choice made are cancelled andwhere a participant would again be faced with the same questions orchoices already death with.

The invention therefore facilitates that a user may monitor theexecution of the campaign, e.g. by checking the flow of participantthrough the process structure or e.g. by checking the currentparticipant location of individual or accumulated groups of participantsin the process structure.

In an embodiment of the invention, the user interface of the campaignmanagement system facilitates a user initiated suspension uponactivation of the user interface in relation to a specific campaign andwherein a suspension command suspends the processing of user specifiedone or more executable program fragments in response to said activationand wherein a resume command resumes the execution of the suspended userspecified one or more executable program fragments, and wherein thesuspended user specified executable program fragment is associated to aconfigured logic template.

In an embodiment of the invention, the user specified executable programfragment is user specified by activating a suspension command or aresume command related to a graphical element graphically forming partof the process structure of the campaign.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is possiblefor a user, by means of the user interface, to select and pause aspecific graphical element of a process structure of a running campaign,thereby pausing the program fragments of the pin-pointed “step”, i.e.the graphical element. In this way, one or more user specifiedexecutable program fragments may be paused for a while, e.g. until acertain time period has lapsed or e.g. until a user re-activates thespecified executable program fragment(s) by activating e.g. softwareimplemented buttons of the relevant graphical elements. In this way, auser may avoid terminating the complete execution of the processstructure related to the specific campaign and only pause the steps ofthe process structures which may facilitate either encapsulation ofparts of the process structure not working according to intention oralternatively just to pause a part of the process structure untilfurther sub-testing has been performed.

In an embodiment of the invention, said plurality of logic templatescomprises one or more interaction logic templates and said executableprogram fragments of said interaction logic templates are arranged toestablish a communication to a participant contact interface on thebasis of said participant contact interface information stored in saidparticipant records;

Various interaction logic templates may implement different kinds ofcommunication, e.g. email, smartphone push messages, QR codes, webforms, etc. The executable program fragment of interaction logictemplates may be arranged to accommodate different outcomes and errorsituations related to the kind of communication that they implement,such as receiving input from participant, handling communication errors,detecting absence of reaction after a timer expiration, etc. Thereby aninteraction logic template may often be more complex than othercategories of logic templates in its implementation and configuration asexperienced by the user, i.e. the sense that a single interaction logictemplate can handle e.g. both transmission to participants, receivedresponse from participants, delays, bouncing of emails and other errors,etc.

In an embodiment of the invention, an interaction logic templatecommunicates requests to participants for data to be written into alocal participant attribute.

In an embodiment of the invention, the data to be written into a localparticipant attribute of a specified participant record is participantinput.

In an embodiment of the invention, the execution of interaction logictemplate is at least partly suspended during test mode of a respectivecampaign, thereby obtaining that the participant interaction issuspended in test mode.

In an embodiment of the invention, the next executable program fragmentto be executed with respect to a specific participant record is at leastpartly determined on the basis of the process structure and of theparticipant input related to the participant record.

In an embodiment of the invention, a user suspension of one or moreexecutable program fragments of a running campaign, suspends theexecution of the relevant executable program fragments and therebyfreezing the status of the participant records processed in thecampaign.

In an embodiment of the invention a user suspension of one or moreexecutable program fragments of a running campaign, suspends theexecution of the relevant executable program fragments and therebyfreezing the state of the participant records processed in the campaignand wherein the suspension includes a suspension of executable programfragments of one or more interaction logic templates

In an embodiment of the invention, a user suspension of one or moreexecutable program fragments of a running campaign, suspends theexecution of the relevant executable program fragments with respect toparticipant records associated to the campaign by allowing a subset ofthe executable program fragments to finalize the execution of therespective executable program fragments with respect to participantrecords at specified participant locations.

It is in particular of relevance to provide for a so-called softsuspension where some of or relevant parts of program fragmentsaccording to a predefined suspension routine are still running for awhile after a user has suspended the execution of the campaign. This isin particular advantageous with respect to participant records lined upfor processing by executable program fragments of one or moreinteraction logic templates. An illustrative example of such a scenariois when a campaign has been suspended or when specified templates hasbeen suspended and where e.g. mails has already been forwarded to someof the participants guiding them to a relevant landing page. In thepresent embodiment, a soft suspension in relation to e.g. interactionlogic templates would allow participants to make their inputs and thesystem to register the user input before pausing the further processingof the participant records in question. In this way it may be avoidedthat participants receives error messages when trying to register e.g.choices or input on a landing page.

In an embodiment of the invention, the subset of executable programfragments either suspends further execution of executable programfragments within respect to relevant participant records or initiates apredefined suspension routine with respect to participant records atspecified participant locations, thereby allowing a limited number ofexecutable program fragments subsequent in the process structure toexecute prior to a complete suspension of the execution of executableprogram fragments.

By facilitating a “soft” suspension, it may be possible to ensure thatparticipants are not suddenly experiencing malfunctioning landing pagesor other interactions, contrary to a “hard” suspension, as a participante.g. requested input via a landing page may input the requested inputduring a soft suspension, the input may be registered as intended by therelevant executable program fragment and then the processing of theparticipant record may be suspended without giving the participant a badinteractive experience.

In an embodiment of the invention, the participant records comprise atrack history logging an executed process sequence of a processingaccording to said process structure of said participant record.

By registering and keeping the track history it is possible to ensurethat a proper resumption of the campaign may be performed, even if thecampaign is resumed in another version of the process structure.

In an embodiment of the invention, the participant records comprise atrack history logging an executed process sequence of a processing by agiven process structure version of said process structure of saidparticipant record.

In a test mode, it may be highly relevant to distinguish betweenversions of process structures to be tested, and this distinguishedshould preferably also be reflected in the track history of theparticipant records forming basis of the campaign when run in test mode.

In an embodiment of the invention, the participant records comprise atrack history logging an executed process sequence of a processing by agiven process structure version of said process structure of saidparticipant record and wherein the track history registered is referringto the process structure version of process structure.

In an embodiment of the invention, the track history further comprisestimestamps for the starting and/or ending of the execution of eachexecuted executable program fragment for said particular participantrecord.

In an embodiment of the invention, the local participant attribute of arespective participant record is updated at least partly on the basis ofthe track history of the participant record by an executed programfragment of a process structure.

In an embodiment of the invention, the track history further comprises alog of changes of the participant attributes.

The invention moreover relates to a method of executing a computerimplemented campaign management system, the system including a graphicaluser interface, the management system processing a plurality ofparticipant records according to a user-configured process structure ofa plurality of configured logic templates; wherein the participantrecords comprise participant attributes, and wherein the processing ofparticipant records involves processing or modification of one or moreof the participant attributes of the participant record, wherein themanagement system reads, processes and/or modifies participantattributes of participant records by a sequence of one of moreexecutable program fragments according to the process structure andwherein the execution of one of more executable program fragments can besuspended in response to user action and/or participant action andwherein the execution of the process structure can be resumed inresponse to user action and/or participant action.

In an embodiment two or more of said participant records aresimultaneously associated with the same participant.

By the present disclosure is provided an advantageous solution to thechallenge for campaign managing systems to handle when a participant isrequested into a campaign several times, e.g. a campaign for marketing,customer service, process control, etc. This situation can occur inseveral different ways. For example, a campaign may be executed on thebasis of clients, leads or contacts from several lists where, for any ofmany possible reasons, one of the clients exists on two or more of theselists. Prior art systems solve this situation by blocking all doubles asthey do not want to or cannot execute the campaign for the sameparticipant more than once. As another example, a campaign may offer adirect or indirect choice between two options to participants, and oneof the participants tries to select both offers. Prior art systems solvethis by either raising an error, or simply not handling the secondchoice because a choice was already made, or replacing the first choiceby the second choice as the most recent selection by the participant.

The present disclosure provides an advantageous solution in that thepresent embodiment facilitates several simultaneous participant recordsassociated with the same participant. This is also in the presentdisclosure referred to as several instances of a participant recordassociated with a participant. By decoupling the participants from thecampaign process by introducing participant records associated withparticipants, is facilitated that the processing of the campaign canrefer to participant records instead of directly to participants.Thereby is provided a technical solution of allowing the sameparticipant to be entered into a campaign several times, even allowingtaking different choices, and/or be entered at different stages in theprocess structure.

In other words, the campaign management system of the present disclosureis configured to create a new instance of a participant recordassociated with a certain participant and thus continue with two, ormore, participant records simultaneously associated with the sameparticipant. This may be occasioned for example by an interaction fromthe participant, by doubles existing in the base participants lists, byrequest from a logic template, by request from a user, by discoveringtwo participant records in fact being associated with the sameparticipant, etc.

A further possible advantage of various embodiments is that the campaignmanagement system as configured and controlled by the user, can decidefrom campaign to campaign, from participant to participant, whether ornot to allow re-entry or several instances of participants in thecampaign. For many kinds of campaigns, the prior art's inherent blockingof doubles is fine as participants are only wanted through once, andthis behavior is also facilitated by the present invention when desired.However, the present invention provides the user with a choice regardingthis behavior. The user is with the present invention given the power todecide whether it should allow a participant through a limited orunlimited number of times, whether to proceed with the first or secondinstance, whether to merge the instances into one, etc.

A further possible advantage of various embodiments of this embodimentis that the processing of the same participant several times through acampaign simultaneously can be conducted asynchronously, as eachparticipant record associated with that participant may be treated likeany other participant record, causing less problems if one is beingdelayed by the participant interactions more than another, etc. Thisalso allows independent manual or automatic interaction with thedifferent instances of the same participant, as they may be processedwithout interfering with each other.

In an embodiment each of said plurality of participant records comprisesa unique participant record identifier and a participant association,and wherein said participant association is equivalent, such asidentical, for said two or more of said participant recordssimultaneously associated with the same participant.

By this advantageous embodiment each participant record has a uniqueparticipant record identifier for the campaign management system toprocess them individually, even though some of them may be associatedwith the same participant. In particular, two or more of the participantrecords comprises equivalent, preferably identical, participantassociations, which is the technical way to implement that they areassociated with the same participant. In an embodiment, the participantassociations may be identical because they both use the same participantidentifier, e.g. email-address or customer number. In anotherembodiment, the participant associations may be equivalent because theyboth refer to the same participant, only by different identifiers, e.g.one using email-address, another using customer number, but master dataor participant attributes indicating that they in fact refer to the sameparticipant.

According to the present disclosure, the participant records areidentified by aparticipant record identifier, which is preferably uniquewithin a campaign management system, or at least within a processstructure. The participant record identifier may be the participantidentifier stored as participant association for associating with aparticipant, such as email or customer number, but the participantrecord identifier is preferably an arbitrary unique identifier to keepthe association with the participant flexible, and allow for severalparticipant records associated with the same participant. When acontainer record is used to hold several participant records associatedwith the same participant, the unique participant record identifier maybe implemented as a combination of a container record identifier and asub-identifier of the individual instances stored in the containerrecord.

In the present disclosure, the participant records each comprisesaparticipant association being a more or less unique identifier of theparticipant, such as for example an email address, telephone number,customer account number, social media account name, social securitynumber, etc.

In an embodiment two or more of said plurality of participant recordshave different participant record identifiers and equivalent, such asidentical, participant associations.

As described above, the different participant record identifiers butequivalent participant associations facilitate the advantageousindividual management of several participant records associated with thesame participant of the present invention.

In an embodiment said two or more participant records simultaneouslyassociated with the same participant comprises an equivalent, such asidentical, set of global participant attributes.

As the global participant attributes are based on master data about theparticipant, the global participant attributes of participant recordswhich are associated with the same participant may preferably beequivalent or even identical. In an embodiment, the individualparticipant records may have their global participant attributesmodified individually over the course of a campaign, even though theyare associated with the same participant. In another embodiment, theglobal participant attributes are kept synchronized between theparticipant records associated with the same participant.

In the present disclosure, a participant attribute denotes a piece ofdata related to a specific participant record and thereby a specificparticipant. The participant attributes may be based on master dataabout the participant, such as global participant attributes, or bedefined during campaign design and given a value over the course of thecampaign, e.g. by interaction with the participant, such as localparticipant attributes. The participant attributes may for exampleidentify the participant, provide participant contact interfaceinformation to initiate interaction with the participant, receive andstore inputs from the participant, store temporary processing datarelated to the participant, etc.

In the present disclosure, the terms global and local with respect toparticipant attributes denote the origin, and thereby originalavailability, of an attribute value in the scope of a campaign. A globalparticipant attribute thus refers to a participant attribute of whichthe value is retrieved from the master data used to generate theparticipant record, i.e. retrieved from outside the campaign, so thatthe global participant attribute comprises a representation of the dataor a reference to the data. The master data on which global participantattributes are based are preferably also generally available to othercampaigns and any other uses, and may for example be data from a CRMsystem, social media account, etc. The term global in the presentdisclosure does not mean that changes to the attribute are necessarilyreflected in the originating scope, i.e. in the master data. In apreferred embodiment, changes to the value of a global participantattribute which takes place in the scope of a campaign are not reflectedin the underlying master data, unless the value is explicitly writtenback to the master data by a suitable logic template. In that aspect, aglobal participant attribute may be considered an instance of masterdata for the scope of a specific campaign. In case of a globalparticipant attributed storing a reference to master data instead of acopy of the data, any update of the master data will preferably byreflected in the use of the global participant attribute in thecampaign.

In an embodiment a second participant record of said two or more of saidparticipant records simultaneously associated with the same participantare created from a first participant record associated with said sameparticipant, such as by cloning or partial copying.

An advantageous way of creating more than one participant recordassociated with the same participant, is to clone or partially copy anexisting participant record, so that more instances of the sameparticipant record are created. Even when cloning, i.e. copying all datato the new participant record, the participant record identifier shouldbe modified to a unique identifier also for the new participant record,in order to facilitate individual processing by the campaign managementsystem. In an embodiment only selected data are copied, at least theparticipant association and preferably the global participantattributes, whereas local participant attributes may be left uncopied toallow for new and different data establishment during the processing ofthe new participant record.

The creation of another participant record associated with the sameparticipant by means of copying or cloning is advantageous when thefirst participant record has been created previously, and the need foranother instance only occurs later. For example, only a singleparticipant record is created with association to a certain participantfrom the beginning of a campaign, but during the course of the campaign,the need for another instance becomes clear, e.g. by interaction withthe participant showing a desire to participate in two different ways.In such a situation, the first participant records has already beenprocessed according to a part of the process structure, and this wouldoften be preferable to copy to the new instance, i.e. giving bothinstances an appearance of identical track histories until the point ofcloning, and treat them individually after the cloning.

In an embodiment said first participant record comprises a uniqueparticipant record identifier and a participant association to saidparticipant, and wherein said second participant record created fromsaid first participant record, such as by cloning or partial copying, isprovided with a unique participant record identifier and with a copy ofthe participant association of the first participant record.

More technically speaking, the partial copy, or even cloning, of aparticipant record, involves a new unique participant record identifierto be created, in order to allow individual processing and management.However, to maintain association to the same participant, theparticipant association should be cloned.

In an embodiment said two or more participant records simultaneouslyassociated with the same participant are created on the basis of masterdata related to said same participant.

An advantageous way of creating several participant records associatedwith the same participant, is to create them all on the basis of masterdata related to that same participant, for example retrieved from one ormore databases of master data. According to the present disclosure, thismeans that all the participant records associated with the sameparticipant comprise the same global participant attributes. Theparticipant records should be provided with individual, uniqueparticipant record identifiers, and with equivalent, such as identical,participant associations.

In the present disclosure, master data refers to data external to acampaign, about persons or objects, for example clients or leads in aCRM system, webshop users, conference participants, campaign subjects,subscribers to services, sold, leased or rented products such as cars orother means for transportation, batteries for electric vehicles. Masterdata may for example comprise identification information, contactinformation, account information, financial information, interests andsales information. A subset of the master data may preferably be used asbasis for a participant record in the form of global participantattributes holding values based on master data or simply referencingmaster data.

The master data may be stored in one or more data sources of any kind,for example a CRM system of an enterprise, social media datacenters,CSV-files etc. The campaign management system is arranged to access thedatabase of master data to retrieve a subset of master data for aparticipant record, or it may simply receive the master data as a pushrequest. The database of master data may be stored locally, in centraldatacenters, cloud storage, etc., and may provide any suitable means ofconnection for data exchange with the campaign management system.

In an embodiment each of said two or more participant recordssimultaneously associated with the same participant comprise anidentical instance of a selected subset of said master data related tosaid same participant.

According to a preferred embodiment, the participant records associatedwith the same participant, all comprise, by value or reference, the samesubset of master data related to that same participant.

In an embodiment said two or more participant records simultaneouslyassociated with the same participant comprise different values of localparticipant attributes.

This is a highly advantageous embodiment, as different instances of thesame participant, i.e. different participant records associated with thesame participant, may include different data, also referred to asparticipant attributes. In a preferred embodiment there is norequirement of data coordination between instances of the sameparticipant. Hence, a first participant record associated with aparticipant may collect certain data related to the participantpreferences, whereas a second participant record associated with thesame participant may collect completely different data related to thesame participant. Whereas master data, and thereby at least the initialvalue of global participant data, are preferably identical forparticipant records associated with the same participant, there are nopreference regarding the values of local participant attributes. As thelocal participant attributes are typically modified by the course of thecampaign, e.g. by interactions with the participant to store choices andactions, by various kinds of data retrieval possibly based onparticipant actions, and by other circumstances that may be differentfrom participant record to participant record, it is highly advantageousand preferred to apply no limitations to the difference between localparticipant attributes of participant records associated with the sameparticipant. This is indeed one of the benefits of an embodiment of theinvention, that the same participant can make other choices or followother configured process sequences in a second or third, etc., journeythrough the campaign—even while still not having finished the firstjourney.

In the present disclosure, the terms global and local with respect toparticipant attributes denote the origin, and thereby originalavailability, of an attribute value in the scope of a campaign. A localparticipant attribute thus refers to a participant attribute of whichthe value is produced during the course of the campaign, possiblygenerated within the campaign or based on external data not being masterdata of the participant. Local participant attributes may comprisetemplate-specific local participant attributes relating to or beingrelevant only to specific logic templates, e.g. as temporary preservingof events or choices, and campaign-specific local participant attributesgenerally available and relevant over the course of the campaign toseveral logic templates, e.g. for consolidating interactions.

In an embodiment said campaign management system is user-configurablewith respect to the number of said two or more participant recordssimultaneously associated with the same participant.

It may be preferred by the user designing a certain campaign using thecampaign management system of the present invention, that a limit can beset of how many participant records are allowed to be created for thesame participant. For example, a user may only allow the sameparticipant to participate twice, or another set number, in a campaign,such as a lottery, a limited offer, a costly procedure, etc. In anotherexample, such as a customer service system, a product offer, etc., auser may set the allowed number of participations to unlimited. In anembodiment, a different allowed number of participant instances may beset for different participants, for example for different categories ofparticipants, such that for example valued customers and new customersmay have different allowed instances in a limited offer, or frequentflyers may have different allowed instances of checked luggage dependingon their air mileage.

In an embodiment said two or more participant records simultaneouslyassociated with the same participant comprise track histories of saidprocessing, comprising logs of executed process sequences of saidprocessing of said participant records according to said processstructure.

The track histories record the individual processing performed on theindividual participant records, including the individual processing ofparticipant records associated with the same participant facilitated bythe present invention. As the processing of each participant record isindividual, also when associated with the same participant, and as theparticipant choices and other changing circumstances may cause adifferent processing of participant records associated with the sameparticipant, this will be reflected in the track histories of theindividual participant records. If a part of a track history isidentical to several participant records, they may share that part ofthe track history instead of storing individual copies thereof. This mayfor example be relevant if a participant record is forked in the middleof campaign, and the two resulting participant records therefore sharethe track history until the point of forking.

According to the present disclosure, a track history is a part of aparticipant record, and refers to a logging of an executed processsequence of a processing of that participant record in accordance withthe process structure. In other words, the track history is a kind oflog which stores the sequence or a reference thereto of executableprogram fragments that the participant record has been processed by, andpreferably includes timestamps and sequence forward points that wereused, and possibly other data that may be relevant to be able to reportin relation to the executed sequence, such as the development of a valueof a participant attribute, which process structure version was used,etc. In an embodiment the values of local participant attributes mayrecoverable from the track history. The track history is preferably usedby the processing engine to determine the next processing step for theparticipant record, and for embodiments that feature migration ofprocessing between process structure versions, the track history mayalso be used to control the migration. The track history can also beused for reporting and statistics, such as a live view of past andcurrent state of each participant attribute.

The sequence of executable program fragments that has actually beenexecuted with respect to a specific participant record is denoted anexecuted process sequence, and is stored in the track history for thatspecific participant record. An executed process sequence thuscorresponds to one of the configured process sequences of the processstructure, or to a part thereof if the processing has not yet finished.

In an embodiment said two or more participant records simultaneouslyassociated with the same participant are different by at least one ofsaid track histories and said local participant attributes.

By processing the participant records individually even when associatedwith the same participant, they will in many cases lead to differenttrack histories and/or different local participant attributes.

In an embodiment the executed process sequence of said two or moreparticipant records simultaneously associated with the same participantare different.

By processing the participant records individually even when associatedwith the same participant, they will in many cases lead to differentexecuted process sequences.

In an embodiment said two or more participant records simultaneouslyassociated with the same participant are processed asynchronously bysaid campaign management system in accordance with said processstructure.

Thereby a technically advantageous embodiment is achieved, as theindividual instances can be treated individually, and not interfere witheach other, for example not delaying each other. This may be veryadvantageous when manual, such as human, interactions are involved, e.g.interaction with a participant being a person. For example, the delaybefore a participant responds to an email may be days or weeks.

In an embodiment said campaign management system is configured to mergesaid two or more participant records simultaneously associated with thesame participant into one participant record associated with saidparticipant.

This embodiment provides an advantageous solution to consolidatingseveral participant records associated with the same participant, ifseveral parallel processings of the same participant are impossible,undesired, or simply do not make sense at a certain stage. The mergingmay comprise comparing the global participant attributes and the localparticipant attributes of the different participant records, and decidewhich should be maintained in the merged participant record. The trackhistories are preferably all maintained in the merged participant recordwith indication of which individual participant record they relate to,or one of the track histories may be selected for keeping. In anembodiment the individual different participant attributes may also allbe kept with indications of which individual participant record theyrelate to.

In an embodiment an additional participant record associated with thesame participant as an existing participant record is created inresponse to an interaction by said same participant.

This advantageous embodiment of the invention allows the interactions ofa participant to cause the creation of another instance of theassociated participant record. This may for example be relevant when theparticipant is offered several options, and the participant desires tomake use of two or more of these options. In order for the campaignmanagement system to process these two or more options in parallel,without requiring the participant to start over when finishing the firstoption, the present invention provides for a creation of anotherparticipant record associated with the same participant, also referredto as forking of the participant record. This kind of creation maypreferably be conducted by an interaction logic template according tothe present disclosure, and may preferably involve a cloning or partialcopying of the existing participant record.

Other embodiments may comprise the creation of another participantrecord associated with the same participant to be performed in responseto a request from a logic template, or in response to a request from auser of the campaign management system, and may involve a cloning orpartial copying of the existing participant record, or a creation basedon master data related to the participant.

Other embodiments may comprise the creation of another participantrecord associated with the same participant to be performed in responseto a discovery that two existing participant records in fact areassociated with the same participant. This may for example happen if thetwo participant records uses different categories of participantassociations, e.g. one using email address and the other using customernumber. In that case, one of the participant records may change theparticipant association to be identical to the other, or the campaignmanagement system may register the equivalence of the one participantassociation, e.g. email address, with the other participant association,e.g. customer number.

In an embodiment an additional participant record associated with thesame participant as an existing participant record is created by aninjection logic template.

According to the present disclosure, an injection logic template is acategory of logic templates for managing the injection of participantsinto a campaign. The executable program fragments of injection logictemplates are arranged to create participant records, including creatingglobal participant attributes from master data when relevant, andpreferably to detect and manage situations where a particularparticipant to be injected already has a related participant record inthe same campaign. The injection logic templates are different fromother categories of logic templates because their executable programfragment can be executed without reference to a specific participantrecord, as it is the injection logic template which creates theparticipant record.

In an embodiment an additional participant record associated with thesame participant as an existing participant record is created by aninteraction logic template.

According to the present disclosure, an interaction logic template is acategory of logic templates for interacting with the participant relatedto the specific participant record processed. The executable programfragments of interaction logic templates are arranged to establish orfacilitate a communication with the participant. Various interactionlogic templates may implement different kinds of communication, e.g.email, smartphone push messages, QR codes, web forms, etc. Theexecutable program fragment of interaction logic templates may bearranged to accommodate different outcomes and error situations relatedto the kind of communication that they implement, such as receivinginput from participant, handling communication errors, detecting absenceof reaction after a timer expiration, etc. Thereby an interaction logictemplate may often be more complex in its implementation andconfiguration than other categories of logic templates.

As an interaction logic template may allow selection of more than onesequence forward point, i.e. more than one configured process sequence,e.g. by allowing the participant to click on several links, selectseveral options from a list, select the same option twice, etc. it mayrequire the possibility to create additional participant records relatedto the same participant to pursue each of these selections. Thismechanism may also be referred to as forking the participant record.

In an embodiment an additional participant record associated with thesame participant as an existing participant record is created by adecision logic template.

According to the present disclosure, a decision logic template is acategory of logic templates for performing selection, filtering, etc.,or otherwise decide a sequence forward point based on various criteria,participant attributes, external data or event, etc. The selection maybe based on interaction with a participant, and/or based on other input,data or randomly. A decision logic template may for example select aconfigured process sequence based solely on user editable parameters,i.e. configuration of the logic template, for example in the case ofrandom A/B branching. Other decision logic templates may use the currentparticipant attributes, for example to make branching based on ranges ofvalues, e.g. age, geographic location, sales amount, etc., or useexternal data such as current weather condition at the participant'saddress, cloud data, social media data, e.g. ‘likes’, etc. Differentdecision logic template types may for example include branching decisionlogic templates, exclusion decision logic templates, parallelizationdecision logic templates, pass decision logic templates, time decisionlogic templates, manual decision logic templates and AI decision logictemplates.

As a decision logic template may allow selection of more than onesequence forward point, i.e. more than one configured process sequence,it may require the possibility to create additional participant recordsrelated to the same participant to pursue each of these selections. Thismechanism may also be referred to as forking the participant record.

In an embodiment said process structure comprises a plurality ofconfigured logic templates.

In the present disclosure, logic templates are the active buildingblocks of a process structure of a campaign. A logic template comprisesan executable program fragment defining and implementing its action(s)and user editable parameters to configure it. Different categories oflogic templates may be provided, for example injection logic templatesto inject participants in a campaign by generating participant records,interaction logic templates to perform interactions with theparticipant, decision logic templates to perform selection, filtering,etc., and data logic templates to perform data operations such asserialization/deserialization, import/export of data from/to master dataor third party systems, changing attribute values, etc.

In the present disclosure, a configured logic template refers to a logictemplate which has been configured for a particular campaign and processstructure by editing the user editable parameters to the extentnecessary for achieving the intended functionality in the processstructure. This may for example involve setting various initializationparameters, filter criteria, references to participant attributes andcampaign attributes, definition of sequence forward points, etc. Somelogic templates, in particular ones with simple functionality, may bepreconfigured by default values or not need any configuration tofunction, and are thus considered configured logic templates as soon asthey are placed into a process structure.

In the present disclosure, an executable program fragment denotes apiece of code that can be executed to perform one or more actions withrespect to a specified participant record. Each logic template comprisesan executable program fragment which is configured, e.g. by softwareprogramming and/or hardware circuits, to perform the special function orseveral functions related to that logic template. The executable programfragments are preferably configured to rely on a configurationestablished by the user editable parameters, and further to rely on oneor more specific participant records. An executable program fragment mayalso be configured to further rely on external data, e.g. data retrievedfrom a webservice such as weather data, event booking data, etc. Theexecutable program fragments of the various logic templates areconfigured to be executed in a sequence relative to each other asdetermined by the processing engine on the basis of the processstructure.

In the present disclosure, user editable parameters are theuser-configurable part of logic templates, thereby configuring how theexecutable program fragments of the logic templates process theparticipant records. A logic template where a required minimum of theuser editable parameters have been appropriately adjusted for aparticular campaign is also referred to as a configured logic template.The user editable parameters may for example relate to criteria such asranges, thresholds, comparison values, filters, values, etc., selectionor configuration of optional features of the executable programfragment, configuration of settings, default values, predefined values,etc., to influence and configure the execution of the executable programfragment in relation to a participant record. The user editableparameters may refer to data available in the participant record, i.e.participant attributes, as subject of comparison, selection, etc.,and/or referencing campaign attributes of the process structure, i.e.common data generally available for all participant records processed bya particular process structure. In an embodiment a reference to anon-existing participant attribute or campaign attribute in a usereditable parameter may cause automatic creation of such participantattribute or campaign attribute. The user editable parameters may allowthe user to create further options for the executable program fragmentto select from based on user-definable criteria, and automaticallygenerate sequence forward points corresponding to the created furtheroptions.

In an embodiment said process structure comprises a number of configuredprocess sequences defined by couplings of said configured logictemplates.

According to the disclosure, configured process sequences denote thepossible sequences through the process structure, defined by thecouplings of logic templates in the graphical user interface. In otherwords, each configured process sequence defines a possible way ofexecution of participant records through a campaign or other process.Each branch or rejoin of graphical connections and graphical sequenceconnection points, and each possible process feedback from a forwardpoint of a logic template back to the receive point of the same logictemplate, possible via other logic templates, results in a differentconfigured process sequence. As the user editable parameters are asignificant part of configuring the possible connection points of thelogic templates, they thereby also in practice facilitate the possiblecouplings and thereby the possible configured process structures.

In an embodiment the configured process sequences are user-defined in agraphical user interface of said campaign management system.

Thereby an advantageous embodiment is provided, as the campaignmanagement system provides a highly user friendly and intuitiveprocedure for defining a process structure with configured logictemplates, thereby forming configured process sequences.

The graphical user interface is configured to allow the user of thecampaign management system to build and illustrate a process structureand configure individual logic templates, by presenting graphicalelements, graphical connections, etc., on a screen, and facilitatinginteraction with the graphical elements and connections, etc., by inputfrom the user e.g. by computer mouse, keyboard, touch gestures, etc.

In an embodiment said campaign management system is arranged to performsaid processing of said participant records being associated with saidparticipants, such as persons or tangible objects, so that saidprocessing of a participant record according to said process structurethereby causes a configured process sequence to be executed with respectto said participant being associated with said participant record.

In other words, the processing of a participant records follows aconfigured process sequence, though an advantageous feature of thepresent invention is that it is not predefined which particularconfigured process sequence is followed. However, a number of configuredprocess sequences are defined, and over the course of processing itturns out which one is followed in a particular processing. Theselections that decide the particular configured process sequence mayfor example be results of interactions with the participant, other datainput, or other circumstances.

In an embodiment said campaign management system is arranged to performsaid processing of said two or more of said participant records beingsimultaneously associated with the same said participant, so that saidprocessing of said two or more participant records according to saidprocess structure thereby causes execution of configured processsequences two or more times with respect to said same participant beingassociated with said two or more participant records.

A configured process sequence is also followed by each of the differentinstances of the same participant, i.e. by the individual of the two ormore participant records associated with the same participant. In otherwords, if there are three participant records associated with the sameparticipant, they will each be processed according to configured processsequences, so that three configured process sequences, same ordifferent, are processed.

In an embodiment said execution of configured process sequences two ormore times with respect to said same participant includes execution oftwo or more different configured process sequences.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the configured processsequences followed by different instances of the same participant, i.e.by individual of the two or more participant records associated with thesame participant, are different. This reflects that the inputs, forexample participant interactions, may often be different fromparticipant record to participant record, even though it is the sameparticipant, for example when the reason for participating several timesis indeed to make different selections and thereby take different paths,i.e. configured process sequences.

In an embodiment said campaign management system comprises a pluralityof graphical elements each associated with one of said configured logictemplates; and said graphical user interface is arranged to display saidgraphical elements.

In the present disclosure, a graphical element is a representation of alogic template in the graphical user interface. It may preferably beinteractive for the user to drag-and-drop, relocate, and otherwiseinteract with the configuration of the related logic template, etc.Graphical elements are connectable by graphical connections.

In an embodiment said configured logic templates comprise user editableparameters being editable using the graphical user interface and anexecutable program fragment being executable on the basis of said usereditable parameters and one or more of said participant records.

In the present disclosure, user editable parameters are theuser-configurable part of logic templates, thereby configuring how theexecutable program fragments of the logic templates process theparticipant records. A logic template where a required minimum of theuser editable parameters have been appropriately adjusted for aparticular campaign is also referred to as a configured logic template.The user editable parameters may for example relate to criteria such asranges, thresholds, comparison values, filters, values, etc., selectionor configuration of optional features of the executable programfragment, configuration of settings, default values, predefined values,etc., to influence and configure the execution of the executable programfragment in relation to a participant record. The user editableparameters may refer to data available in the participant record, i.e.participant attributes, as subject of comparison, selection, etc.,and/or referencing campaign attributes of the process structure, i.e.common data generally available for all participant records processed bya particular process structure. In an embodiment a reference to anon-existing participant attribute or campaign attribute in a usereditable parameter may cause automatic creation of such participantattribute or campaign attribute. The user editable parameters may allowthe user to create further options for the executable program fragmentto select from based on user-definable criteria, and automaticallygenerate sequence forward points corresponding to the created furtheroptions.

In the present disclosure, an executable program fragment denotes apiece of code that can be executed to perform one or more actions withrespect to a specified participant record. Each logic template comprisesan executable program fragment which is configured, e.g. by softwareprogramming and/or hardware circuits, to perform the special function orseveral functions related to that logic template. The executable programfragments are preferably configured to rely on a configurationestablished by the user editable parameters, and further to rely on oneor more specific participant records. An executable program fragment mayalso be configured to further rely on external data, e.g. data retrievedfrom a webservice such as weather data, event booking data, etc. Theexecutable program fragments of the various logic templates areconfigured to be executed in a sequence relative to each other asdetermined by the processing engine on the basis of the processstructure.

In an embodiment the graphical elements are couplable using saidgraphical user interface by a user, the coupling defining a processstructure of said executable program fragments of said configured logictemplates in relation to said participant records.

In an embodiment said process structure and said participant records forprocessing by said process structure represent a campaign.

In an embodiment the participant records comprise participant attributesbeing processable by said executable program fragments of saidconfigured logic templates according to said process structure.

In the present disclosure, a participant attribute denotes a piece ofdata related to a specific participant record and thereby a specificparticipant. The participant attributes may be based on master dataabout the participant, such as global participant attributes, or bedefined during campaign design and given a value over the course of thecampaign, e.g. by interaction with the participant, such as localparticipant attributes. The participant attributes may for exampleidentify the participant, provide participant contact interfaceinformation to initiate interaction with the participant, receive andstore inputs from the participant, store temporary processing datarelated to the participant, etc.

In an embodiment one or more campaign attributes are associated withsaid process structure.

Some data may be relevant across all participants of a campaign, andsuch data are referred to as campaign attributes. Campaign attributesmay for example be useful when exactly one object is needed tocoordinate actions across the campaign. This may for example beinitialization data for the campaign, general settings and configurationof the campaign, or a value that is shared between all participants,e.g. the number of prizes in a lottery, the number of seats at an event,the current leader of a collection, etc. In other words, the campaignattributes may in an aspect be considered ‘singletons’ in the scope of acampaign. In embodiments features two or more process structureversions, the campaign attributes may be managed individually for eachversion, or also here be managed as singletons across versions.

In an embodiment said participant records store participant contactinterface information associated with participant contact interfaces;said participant contact interface information comprises at least one ofan email-address, a telephone number, a social media account name, astreet address, an IP-address, a MAC-address, an advertising identifieror a participant identifier.

In the present disclosure, a participant contact interface is referringto any interface to interacting with a participant being a person or anobject. Such interfaces may e.g. be email client, telephone, messageservice interface, social media interface, geographical address forpostal services or physical meeting, a communication client on acomputer, smartphone or other connected device, etc.

In the present disclosure, a participant contact interface informationis information enabling establishing a communication through aparticipant contact interface, e. g. email-address, a telephone number,a social media account name, a street address, an internet address orother network address e.g. IP-address, a device address e.g. MAC-addressor advertising identifier, or a participant identifier. The participantcontact interface information may for example be stored as a globalparticipant attribute or local participant attribute in the participantrecord.

In an embodiment said participant attributes comprise global participantattributes derived from said master data, and preferably initializedtogether with said participant record.

In an embodiment said participant attributes comprise local participantattributes.

In an embodiment said global participant attributes are defined across aplurality of campaigns defined by different respective processstructures, and wherein said local participant attributes are definedfor a subset of said plurality of campaigns CAM).

When a campaign management system according to the present disclosureoperates two or more campaigns each having their own process structure,the global participant attributes may be common to all or several of thecampaigns. This may for example include name and contact information forthe participants, which will be relevant in most, if not all, campaigns.Other information, in particular the data stored as local participantattributes, is more campaign-specific, and is therefore typically notshared among a lot of campaigns, and in particular a campaign maytypically include at least one user-defined local participant attributewhich does not exist in any of the other campaigns of the campaignmanagement system. It is noted, that new versions of process structuresrelating to the same campaign, e.g. by updating a process structure in adesign mode which naturally leads to several equal local participantattributes in both versions, are considered as one campaign within thisdisclosure.

In an embodiment one or more of said local participant attributes aretemplate-specific local participant attributes related to a specificconfigured logic template.

In the present disclosure, a template-specific local participantattribute is a local participant attribute which relates to or isrelevant only to specific logic templates, e.g. as temporary preservingof events or choices. The relation to a specific logic template may inan embodiment also imply a scope of availability being restricted to thespecific logic template.

By applying local participant attributes in relation to one or moregiven logic templates it is not necessarily given that the localparticipant attributes are only defined in the participant record whenit is available for processing according to a specific adapted logictemplate. It may typically imply that the local and global participantattributes contained in a participant record intended for a user-definedcampaign include all attributes relevant for the processing of theparticipant record during its journey. A participant record of onecampaign may thus include some global participant attributes derivedfrom the master data and another participant record used in relation toanother campaign may include other global participant attributes, stillderived from the same master data. The same applies for the localparticipant attributes as these may be established differently in numberand meaning in different campaigns.

In an embodiment one or more of said local participant attributes arecampaign-specific local participant attributes available to severalconfigured logic templates of said process structure.

In the present disclosure, a campaign-specific local participantattribute is a local participant attribute which is generally availableand relevant over the course of the campaign to several logic templates,e.g. for consolidating interactions. By providing local participantattributes which are available to more than one logic template,preferably to any logic template, of the process structure, i.e. of aspecific campaign, it is possible to track information, participantinteraction, counters, etc., across the various logic templates. Thismay for example be an advantageous way of storing campaign specificparticipant preferences, without requiring export of the information tothe master data. In that sense, the local participant attributes mayalso be considered temporary as compared to master data.

In an embodiment one or more of said local participant attributes is auser-defined or user-named variable.

The user may configure local participant attributes of different datatypes and provide user-defined variable names for reference in theprocess structure, e.g. in different logic templates. According to thepresent invention, local participant attributes may be variables whichcan be named/defined by the user, thereby allowing the user to assignmeaning to the local participant attributes. From a technical point ofview, it allows the user to name/define variables and use them in oneprocess structure together with the global participant attributesoriginating from master data, and define/name variable differently inanother process structure. Thereby the variables that are only relevantfor a specific process structure, does not have be implemented in themaster data or be directly transferrable to other process structures.This may reduce confusions and contamination with respect to the masterdata, and improve the ability of the user/designer to manage and use theattributes available in a specific campaign. This makes embodiments ofthe present invention more robust and agile across different processstructures.

In an embodiment the graphical user interface is configured with aninterface for the user to create or configure a local participantattribute and wherein the user may configure the local participantattribute by selecting at least one of a user-defined attribute name anda predefined attribute type.

Local participant attribute may in an advantageous embodiment simply becreated and configured by a user through the graphical user interface,and allowing the user to define the name and datatype. According to thepresent disclosure, participant attribute type generally refers to thedata type of a participant attribute. This may be simple base data typessuch as Boolean, integer, float, etc., and may in various embodimentsalso be built-in or user-defined complex data types or structures suchas arrays, format validated data fields like telephone numbers or emailaddresses, enumerations, structures of same or different datatypes likeaddresses, images, documents, etc.

In an embodiment a logic template is configurable by the user forestablishment of a local participant attribute and wherein the user mayconfigure the local participant attribute by providing a user-definedname to the local participant attribute when configuring the logictemplate.

The logic template which is configurable by the user for establishmentof a local participant attribute is according to an advantageousembodiment simply configured by a user activation of a graphical elementreferring to the relevant logic template to be configured and the userthen type a name in a field predefined for naming of a new localparticipant attribute.

In an embodiment a logic template is configurable by the user forestablishment of a local participant attribute and wherein the user mayconfigure the local participant attribute by providing a user-definedname to the local participant attribute when configuring the logictemplate and wherein the local participant attribute is established byselecting one of a number of predefined attribute types.

The logic template which is configurable by the user for establishmentof a local participant attribute is according to an advantageousembodiment simply configured by a user activation of a graphical elementreferring to the relevant logic template to be configured and the userthen type a name in a field predefined for naming of a new localparticipant attribute and select one of a predefined attribute types.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention a configurable logictemplate may be configured by means of a graphical user interface wherethe user interface facilitates typing of the desired name of anattribute to be applied in the campaign about to be designed. Thegraphical facilitation of such a naming may e.g. be obtained by means ofa text editor and typography dedicated for the definition of a new localparticipant attribute. The text editor may e.g. activated though theconfigurable logic template during the configuration of template. Analternative approach could also be a configurable logic templatecomprising dedicated predefined fields where a user may input endthereby define the name of the local participant attribute.

The data type of the named local participant attribute may beestablished in the same way when configuring the relevant logic templateand the user may be assisted by offering one or more predefinedselectable data types.

When a local participant attribute has been defined during aconfiguration, the local participant attribute may be applied during theexecution of the specific campaign. In this way, the user defining thecampaign may not only rely on the master data for use in theconfiguration of the campaign but may also add further attributeswithout requiring such data to be present or being modelled in themaster data. This adds an agility and dynamic not hitherto provided inany campaign management system. A local participant attribute may thusbe defined and used in one campaign only in relation to the participantsaffected or specified for the present campaign.

Advantages related to this way of technical implementation a campaignare many. Two advantages include:

-   -   The user defining the campaign may have less or little knowledge        to the general corporate data base as such data bases tends to        grow very complex in large business and that an extreme control        and maintenance of data models in such data bases must be        applied in order to ensure that data fields are perceived and        maintained correctly.    -   The option of defining local participant attributes makes it        possible to provide a campaign management system which offers        are high degree of privacy. The system may e.g. be programmed to        disallow use of local participant attributes across campaigns.        This means that the data flow, specifically the data obtained        through interaction with a participant in one campaign may be        contained in this specific campaign. An important point if        allowing a certain degree of cross-campaign use it is completely        easy to designate, find or delete such data. A participant may        thus request information about which data are contained within        the campaign management system as it is very easy to restrict or        monitor cross-campaign use.

In an embodiment a user defined local participant attribute is used tocontain data related to interaction with specific participants.

In an embodiment each configured logic template comprises at least onesequence connection point, each sequence connection point being asequence receive point or a sequence forward point.

The logic templates are configured to be processed in sequence, and thepossible sequences available in a campaign are defined by the processstructure, the so-called configured process sequences. In order todefine the possible sequences of logic templates, the logic templatesmay preferably comprise sequence connection points to facilitatecombining them into possible sequences. A logic template may preferablycomprise a sequence receive point referring to the availability todefine the logic template as a subsequent step in a process, i.e.receiving the duty of processing from a previous logic template in asequence. A logic template may further preferably comprise one or moresequence forward points in order to pass the processing duty on to asubsequent logic template in a sequence.

In other words, the sequence connection points are considered anadvantageous means for the definition of process sequences, as well asan advantageous means for an intuitive and user-friendly graphicalrepresentation and graphical editability of the process structureversions.

In the present disclosure, a sequence receive point refers to theavailability to define the logic template as a subsequent step in aprocess, i.e. receiving the duty of processing from a previous logictemplate in a sequence. Most logic templates comprise a sequence receivepoint, but some kinds of logic templates, in an embodiment in particularinjection logic templates, may not need a sequence receive point as theyare configured to be the start of a process sequence and create theparticipant records.

In the present disclosure, a sequence forward point is a type ofsequence connection point, and the one or more sequence forward pointsof a logic template define the one or more options a logic template hasof passing the processing duty on to a subsequent logic template in asequence, or in other words, the one or more outcome states that a logictemplate provides. For example, a logic template that performs a randomA/B split, may have two sequence forward points, one for the A outcome,and one for the B outcome, or a participant interaction logic templatemay have sequence forward points related to the different choices madeavailable to participant as part of the interaction, and furthersequence forward points for various reasons that no interaction wasperformed.

In an embodiment one or more of said configured logic templatescomprises a plurality of sequence forward points.

Providing several sequence forward points of the same one logic templatemay enable different possible configured process sequences, as it allowsthe choice of different subsequent logic templates, i.e. differentsequences.

In an embodiment said graphical elements comprise graphical indicationsof said sequence connection points of said associated configured logictemplates.

The graphical indications of the logic templates' sequence connectionpoints provide an advantageous means for an intuitive and user-friendlygraphical representation and graphical editability of the processstructure.

In an embodiment said coupling of said graphical elements using saidgraphical user interface comprises one or more graphical connections ofa sequence connection point being a sequence forward point of agraphical element with a sequence connection point being a sequencereceiving point of the same or a different graphical element.

When designing a campaign in the graphical user interface, the graphicalelements representing the individual logic templates are gettingconnected by graphical connections. The graphical connections therebybecome the definition of the process structure, together with theconfigurations made to the individual logic templates. Several logictemplates may preferably have a plurality of sequence forward points,and for such logic templates, each graphical connection is preferablyconnected to a specific sequence forward point, in order to facilitatedifferent connections for the different sequence forward points of alogic template. Likewise, in an embodiment providing a plurality ofsequence receive points for a logic template, the graphical connectionsare connected to specific such sequence receive points. In other words,the graphical connections preferably bind specific sequence forwardpoints to specific sequence receive points, and are used by the user todefine and illustrate the various configured process sequences, andthereby indirectly by the processing engine to determine the sequence ofexecution of executable program fragments and related configurations.

The graphical connections may preferably have one start point and oneend point, such as a straight line, a curve, a poly-line, etc., therebyallowing connecting one sequence forward point to one sequence receivepoint. A sequence forward point may in some embodiments be connectableto a sequence receive point of the same logic template or a previouslogic template in the sequence, thereby establishing the possibility ofa process flow loop. From a graphical point of view, any sequenceforward point may be connectable to any sequence receive point. However,in a preferred embodiment, certain logic templates may be configured toonly allow connections to certain other logic templates, not allowprocess flow loops, or other limitations on the connectability of thesequence connection points.

In an embodiment said user editable parameters of a configured logictemplate, when edited by said user, form a configuration of saidexecutable program fragment of said configured logic template.

The user editable parameters editable to configure the executableprogram fragment may for example relate to criteria such as ranges,thresholds, comparison values, filters, values, etc., selection orconfiguration of optional features of the executable program fragment,configuration of settings, default values, predefined values, etc., toinfluence and configure the execution of the executable program fragmentin relation to a participant record. The user editable parameters mayrefer to data available in the participant record as subject ofcomparison, selection, etc. A logic template where a required minimum ofthe user editable parameters have been appropriately adjusted for aparticular campaign is also referred to as a configured logic template.For some logic templates the required minimum of user editableparameters to be adjusted before the logic template is considered aconfigured logic template is zero; meaning that some logic templates maynot require configuration but works directly from their generic state.

In an embodiment one or more of said sequence forward points of aconfigured logic template is created based on user configuration of saiduser editable parameters.

In an embodiment one or more of said user editable parameters of aconfigured logic template, when edited by said user, defines one or moreof said sequence connection points of said configured logic template,preferably one or more of said sequence forward points.

In a preferred embodiment some or all logic templates may allowuser-definable sequence connection points, whereby the user may createsequence connection points, in particular sequence forward points, byediting the user editable parameters. For example, the user editableparameters may allow the user to create further options for theexecutable program fragment to select from based on user-definablecriteria, and automatically generate sequence forward pointscorresponding to the created further options. For example, a decisionlogic template may allow the user to create a number of possible optionsfor the executable program fragment to select from based oncorresponding user-created criteria, for example a decision logictemplates which determines which user-defined range a certain value fromthe participant record, e.g. a participant attribute, belongs to, andcreates a sequence forward point for each user-defined range. Thisexample may for example be used to group participants into differentage-ranges, performance ranges, geographical areas, etc. In anotherexample, an interaction logic template may allow the user to create anumber of possible reply options for the participant in response to thecommunication performed by the interaction logic template, and create asequence forward point for each user-defined reply option. This examplemay for example be used to group participants according to their input,e.g. selection of a preference, affirmative answer to a question, etc.

In an embodiment said executable program fragment of a configured logictemplate is configured to select one of said one or more sequenceforward points of said configured logic template.

At the end of the execution of the executable program fragment of aconfigured logic template based on a particular participant record, aparticular one of the available sequence forward points of that logictemplate has been selected in accordance with the role of the logictemplate, and based on the user editable parameters and data referencedthereby. For example, a certain sequence forward point may be selectedin dependency of a participant reply to a communication configured bythe user editable parameters, or a selection of several options based onparticipant attribute criteria or for example the weather reportconfigured by the user editable parameters. In case the logic templateis configured to fork a participant record, i.e. create anotherparticipant record associated with the same participant as an existingparticipant record, for example in a logic template where a participantcan select two or more options having different sequence forward points,or where the logic template is configured to fork the participant recordas decided by the user of the campaign management system, the executableprogram fragment may be configured to select more than one of thesequence forward points, and then create the required correspondingnumber of participant records to proceeds along the more than onesequence forward point.

In an embodiment said configured process sequences of said processstructure is defined by said graphical connections between said sequenceforward points and said sequence receive points of said configured logictemplates.

This advantageous embodiment provides for a graphical building ofprocess structure which may thereby be highly user friendly and providean intuitive overview the process structure.

In an embodiment said plurality of logic templates comprises injectionlogic templates and said executable program fragments of said injectionlogic templates are arranged to create participant records on the basisof master data.

According to the present disclosure, an injection logic template is acategory of logic templates for managing the injection of participantsinto a campaign. The executable program fragments of injection logictemplates are arranged to create participant records, including creatingglobal participant attributes from master data when relevant, andpreferably to detect and manage situations where a particularparticipant to be injected already has a related participant record inthe same campaign. The injection logic templates are different fromother categories of logic templates because their executable programfragment can be executed without reference to a specific participantrecord, as it is the injection logic template which creates theparticipant record. The master data from which the global participantattributes are derived, may be any kind of data about a participant,with or without explicit identification. It may for example be masterdata from a client database or similar, but also data from CSV files,imports from a REST Service, information gathered from the participantdoing a QR-Scan or a website call possibly leaving only an IP address ordevice identification, etc.

In an embodiment said create participant records comprises, for eachcreated participant record, defining and initializing global participantattributes of said participant record as said instance of said selectedsubset of master data related to said participant to establish saidassociation of said participant record with said participant.

The initialization of the global participant attributes as an instanceof a subset of master data may for example comprise declaring globalparticipant attribute variables corresponding to the data fields in theselected subset of master data, and initializing them by copying thedata from master data to thus corresponding global participantattributes or storing a reference to the master data instead of the datathemselves. In another embodiment, the global participant attributes donot correspond directly in value and datatype to data fields of themaster data one to one, but are still arranged to establish an instanceof the information of the selected subset of master data by a number ofglobal participant records, e.g. by combining data fields into oneglobal participant attribute, using different datatypes, etc.

In an embodiment said participant contact interface information isderived from said selected subset of master data related to saidparticipant and stored in said participant record as a globalparticipant attribute.

In many use cases, the master data, e.g. CRM system comprising dataabout clients or leads, also typically comprises contact information forthe persons or objects for which participant records are being createdby the injection logic template. In such use case, the participantcontact interface information may preferably be retrieved from themaster data for use in the process structure, in particular ininteraction logic templates with the role of establishing communicationwith the participants. The retrieving of data from the master data mayinclude copying, possibly with processing, or storing a reference to themaster data instead of the data themselves.

In an embodiment said injection logic template is arranged to retrievesaid selected subset of master data from one or more databases of masterdata.

The campaign management system of the present invention may beintegrated with enterprise systems such as CRM systems, e.g. implementedin SAP systems, SQL systems, cloud systems, e.g. Marketing Cloud bySalesforce, Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM, etc. The campaign managementsystem may also be implemented as a separate standalone system havingaccess to master data from a third party CRM system and/or otherdatabases, e.g. social media accounts, webshop databases, web providedinformation, etc.

In an embodiment said plurality of logic templates comprises one or moredecision logic templates and said executable program fragments of saiddecision logic templates are arranged to select a configured processsequence defined by said process structure for a participant record.

According to the present disclosure, a decision logic template is acategory of logic templates for performing selection, filtering, etc.,or otherwise decide a sequence forward point based on various criteria,participant attributes, external data or event, etc. The selection maybe based on interaction with a participant, and/or based on other input,data or randomly.

In an embodiment said selection of a configured process sequence doesnot involve an interaction with said participant.

The decision logic templates can be considered to select a configuredprocess sequence for a particular participant record without therequirement of interaction with the particular participant associatedwith the particular participant record.

In an embodiment said selection of a configured process sequence isbased on one or more of current values of participant attributes, usereditable parameters, external data or master data, or any combinationthereof.

A decision logic template may for example select a configured processsequence based solely on user editable parameters, i.e. configuration ofthe logic template, for example in the case of random A/B branching.Other decision logic templates may use the current participantattributes, for example to make branching based on ranges of values,e.g. age, geographic location, sales amount, etc., or use external datasuch as current weather condition at the participant's address, clouddata, social media data, e.g. ‘likes’, etc.

In an embodiment said decision logic template is selected from the listof: branching decision logic templates, exclusion decision logictemplates, parallelization decision logic templates, pass decision logictemplates, time decision logic templates, manual decision logictemplates, AI decision logic templates.

Manual decision logic templates select a configured process sequencebased on input from e.g. campaign manager, supervisor, sales person,user, etc. For example, a salesperson having knowledge about theparticipants may be asked by the campaign system which configuredprocess sequence to proceed with for a certain participant record.Another advantage of the manual decision logic template is that theprocess can be maintained in both time and choice of sequence withmanual interaction, thereby providing human intelligence to theexecution of the process structure.

In an embodiment the process structure comprises two or more processstructure versions and wherein said campaign management system isconfigured to migrate said processing of said participant recordsbetween said two or more process structure versions on the basis of saidtrack histories and said two or more process structure versions.

By the present disclosure is provided an advantageous solution to thechallenge of having a running campaign which the user would like to beable to adjust or evolve further, but numerous participants are alreadyin the existing, running campaign probably at different steps and withdifferent choices made, thereby making it practically impossible tochange the existing campaign. This embodiment ensures that allparticipant records have track histories of their processing in thecampaign, and on the basis of these track histories, and knowledge aboutthe process structure, provides for a migration of the processing ofparticipant records from one version of the process structure, i.e.campaign, to another version of the process structure.

When there are more than one process structure version, the campaignmanagement system, for example by means of a processing engine, maydetermine whether or not to perform a migration of processing to adifferent process structure version. In particular if a newer processstructure version exists, and it includes the same configured logictemplate which is determined as the next configured logic template toexecute, i.e. that logic template being a common configured logictemplate, the processing may advantageously be migrated to the newerprocess structure version.

A campaign management system offering migration, may process aparticipant from an old version in a new version while retaining thestate of choices made, interactions, etc., between the version. Themigration may be an intelligent migration so that the participant ismigrated at an appropriate time and state with respect to thedifferences between the old and new version, the choices made, etc.

In particular for embodiments according to the present disclosureallowing several participant records related to the same participant toco-exist in campaign, the several participant records related to thesame participant may also exist in different versions of a campaign,i.e. process structure versions, and be migrated to another version,even if that version already includes a participant record related tothat participant.

In an embodiment each of said two or more process structure versionscomprises at least one configured logic template being a commonconfigured logic template common with at least one other of said two ormore process structure versions.

By common configured logic template is referred to a configured logictemplate that is present in two or more process structure versions. Asdifferent process structure versions may define different possibleexperiences, events, actions, etc. and/or different ways or criteria toreach the different points, the common configured logic templatesrepresent points in the process structure which exist in at least oneother version, and thereby forms a matching position in terms of processflow. The common configured logic template is preferably configuredsubstantially similar in both versions. However, a configured logictemplate can be a common configured logic template even if configureddifferently in the two or more process structure versions to which it iscommon. For example, a new process structure version may be differentfrom an earlier process structure version by having changed filtercriteria of a logic template, added options, e.g. sequence forwardpoints, of a logic template, etc., but such logic template is stillconsidered a common configured logic template for the two processsequence versions despite of the difference in configuration. On theother hand, a logic template that only exists in one of the versions, orhas been significantly reconfigured, such as by removing sequenceforward points or local participant attributes, cannot be a commonconfigured logic template to the two versions. The subsets of configuredlogic templates that is used in the different process sequence versionsthus overlap by at least one, and often several, common configured logictemplates. In other words, a common configured logic template representsa similar functionality in two or more versions of a campaign. A commonconfigured logic template thereby also determines an advantageousposition in the process sequence for the processing of a participantrecord to be migrated from one version to another, as the functionalityat that location in the processing sequence is substantially the same orat least overlapping.

In an embodiment said two or more process structure versions eachcomprises a subset of said plurality of configured logic templates.

Among all the configured logic templates comprised by the campaignmanagement system, some or all of them are used in each processstructure version.

In an embodiment said subsets of said plurality of configured logictemplates are different.

The process sequence versions are different because they consist ofdifferent subsets of configured logic templates. In an embodiment, thedifference need only be in the configuration of a configured logictemplate, i.e. the user editable parameters, meaning that two processstructure versions may consist of the same logic templates, as long asthere is a difference in configuration, e.g. when the campaign ischanged only by adjusting a user editable parameter such as a threshold,a participant filter, etc. In an embodiment the differences may be inthe types of configured logic templates, e.g. when a campaign has beenchanged by replacing a configured logic template with one of a differenttype. In an embodiment the differences may include a different number ofconfigured logic templates, e.g. when the campaign has evolved by addingfurther logic templates to the configured process sequences.

The present invention advantageously provides for a migration ofprocessing between such different process structure versions.

In an embodiment said two or more process structure versions aregraphically defined, preferably by a plurality of graphical elementsassociated with said plurality of configured logic templates,respectively, and being couplable by graphical connections using agraphical user interface by a user, the couplings defining the processstructure of said executable program fragments of said logic templatesin relation to said participant records.

The graphical editability of the process structure may preferably beprovided by arranging the graphical user interface to allow the user toconnect graphical elements associated with logic templates by means ofgraphical connections, and providing an interface for editing the usereditable parameters to configure the logic templates. The same graphicaluser interface may allow the user to define several process structureversions simultaneously or one at a time, by replacing or adding logictemplates, changing and adding graphical connection, changingconfigurations of logic templates, etc.

The graphical user interface is configured to allow the user of thecampaign management system to build and illustrate a process structureand configure individual logic templates, by presenting graphicalelements, graphical connections, etc., on a screen, and facilitatinginteraction with the graphical elements and connections, etc., by inputfrom the user e.g. by computer mouse, keyboard, touch gestures, etc.

In the present disclosure, a graphical element is a representation of alogic template in the graphical user interface. It may preferably beinteractive for the user to drag-and-drop, relocate, and otherwiseinteract with the configuration of the related logic template, etc.Graphical elements are connectable by graphical connections.

When designing a campaign in the graphical user interface, the graphicalelements representing the individual logic templates are gettingconnected by graphical connections. The graphical connections therebybecome the definition of the process structure, together with theconfigurations made to the individual logic templates. Several logictemplates may preferably have a plurality of sequence forward points,and for such logic templates, each graphical connection is preferablyconnected to a specific sequence forward point, in order to facilitatedifferent connections for the different sequence forward points of alogic template. Likewise, in an embodiment providing a plurality ofsequence receive points for a logic template, the graphical connectionsare connected to specific such sequence receive points. In other words,the graphical connections preferably bind specific sequence forwardpoints to specific sequence receive points, and are used by the user todefine and illustrate the various configured process sequences, andthereby indirectly by the processing engine to determine the sequence ofexecution of executable program fragments and related configurations.

In an embodiment said campaign management system comprises a processingengine configured to perform said processing of said participant recordsaccording to said two or more process structure versions.

A processing engine is provided to process participant records accordingto the thus configured campaign. A main purpose of the processing engineis to initiate the execution of the executable program fragments of theindividual logic templates in a sequence defined by the processstructure and as appropriate for a particular participant record basedon its track history and the relevant process structure versions, andmanage this for all the participant records in a campaign or severalcampaigns. The processing engine is computer-implemented, as describedabove regarding the campaign management system.

In an embodiment said track histories comprise logs of executed processsequences of said processing of said participant records according toone or more of said process structure versions.

The sequence of executable program fragments that has actually beenexecuted with respect to a specific participant record is denoted anexecuted process sequence, and is stored in the track history for thatspecific participant record. An executed process sequence thuscorresponds to one of the configured process sequences of the processstructure, or to a part thereof if the processing has not yet finished.

In an embodiment each of said configured logic templates is based on alogic template comprising user editable parameters for configuration ofsaid logic template and an executable program fragment being executableon the basis of said user editable parameters and one or more of saidparticipant records.

In the present disclosure, logic templates are the active buildingblocks of a process structure of a campaign. A logic template comprisesan executable program fragment defining and implementing its action(s)and user editable parameters to configure it. Different categories oflogic templates may be provided, for example injection logic templatesto inject participants in a campaign by generating participant records,interaction logic templates to perform interactions with theparticipant, decision logic templates to perform selection, filtering,etc., and data logic templates to perform data operations such asserialization/deserialization, import/export of data from/to master dataor third party systems, changing attribute values, etc.

In the present disclosure, user editable parameters are theuser-configurable part of logic templates, thereby configuring how theexecutable program fragments of the logic templates process theparticipant records. A logic template where a required minimum of theuser editable parameters have been appropriately adjusted for aparticular campaign is also referred to as a configured logic template.The user editable parameters may for example relate to criteria such asranges, thresholds, comparison values, filters, values, etc., selectionor configuration of optional features of the executable programfragment, configuration of settings, default values, predefined values,etc., to influence and configure the execution of the executable programfragment in relation to a participant record. The user editableparameters may refer to data available in the participant record, i.e.participant attributes, as subject of comparison, selection, etc.,and/or referencing campaign attributes of the process structure, i.e.common data generally available for all participant records processed bya particular process structure. In an embodiment a reference to anon-existing participant attribute or campaign attribute in a usereditable parameter may cause automatic creation of such participantattribute or campaign attribute. The user editable parameters may allowthe user to create further options for the executable program fragmentto select from based on user-definable criteria, and automaticallygenerate sequence forward points corresponding to the created furtheroptions.

In the present disclosure, an executable program fragment denotes apiece of code that can be executed to perform one or more actions withrespect to a specified participant record. Each logic template comprisesan executable program fragment which is configured, e.g. by softwareprogramming and/or hardware circuits, to perform the special function orseveral functions related to that logic template. The executable programfragments are preferably configured to rely on a configurationestablished by the user editable parameters, and further to rely on oneor more specific participant records. An executable program fragment mayalso be configured to further rely on external data, e.g. data retrievedfrom a webservice such as weather data, event booking data, etc. Theexecutable program fragments of the various logic templates areconfigured to be executed in a sequence relative to each other asdetermined by the processing engine on the basis of the processstructure.

In an embodiment a first process structure version of said two or moreprocess structure versions is a process structure of said executableprogram fragments of a first subset of said plurality of configuredlogic templates in relation to said participant records; wherein asecond process structure version of said two or more process structureversions is a process structure of said executable program fragments ofa second subset of said plurality of configured logic templates inrelation to said participant records; and wherein said first subset ofsaid plurality of configured logic templates and said second subset ofsaid plurality of configured logic templates overlap by at least onecommon configured logic template.

As described above, the common configured logic template is a configuredlogic template that is present in both the first and second processstructure version, thereby defining an overlap, although theconfiguration of the common configured logic template in an embodimentneed not to be exactly the same in both versions. The two processstructure versions may have many common configured logic templates, evenall configured logic templates may be common to the two versions.

In an embodiment said migration of said processing between said two ormore process structure versions on the basis of said track histories andsaid two or more process structure versions comprises said processingengine being configured to migrate processing of one or more of saidparticipant records from said first process structure version to saidsecond process structure version based on respective of said executedprocess sequence of the one or more participant record.

The control of migration of processing of a particular participantrecord to a different process structure version may advantageously bebased on the already executed process sequence of that particularparticipant record.

In an embodiment said two or more process structure versions is three ormore, such as 8 or more, such as 20 or more, process structure versionsof the same campaign.

An embodiment of the present invention is advantageous by providing themigration functionality for any number of versions of process structuresof a campaign, whether representing large or small changes between each.Preferably, the campaign management system also offers a user-friendlyway of making changes and creating new versions of the process structureby means of the described graphical user interface. The migration may beto the next version, or may preferably jump to the newest versionpossible. Migration may not be possible between any version for anyparticipant record at any state, but may preferably at least be possiblefor a participant record currently to be processed by a commonconfigured logic template which may then migrate to the newest processstructure version including this common configured logic template.

In an embodiment said two or more process structure versions are orderedaccording to their individual creation times and wherein said migrationbetween said two or more process structure versions comprises migratingfrom a first process structure version to a second process structureversion which is newer than said first process structure version.

Migration is preferably, and in some embodiments only, to a newerprocess structure version. The newer process structure version may bethe next in the order, or may be any newer version, for example thenewest process structure version.

In an embodiment a process structure version not being the newest amongsaid two or more process structure versions is automatically stoppedfrom processing when all of said plurality of participant records arebeing processed by process structure versions newer than said not newestprocess structure version.

In other words, an advantageous embodiment is provided, where oldprocess structure versions are automatically stopped when all theirparticipant records have migrated to newer versions, and no participantrecords can no longer be injected for processing according to the oldprocess structure version. This is highly advantageous, as it helpscleaning up the system, saving processing power and making it easier forthe user to manage the process structure version.

In an embodiment a process structure version is configured to disableany injection logic templates when it is no longer the newest among saidtwo or more process structure versions to automatically preventinjection of new participants into said no longer newest processstructure version.

In an embodiment, each time a newer process structure version iscreated, the older process structure versions are put in a special mode,also referred to as ‘sunset mode’, where migration to newer versions areintended for all participant records as soon as they get to a commonconfigured logic template, and it is regularly evaluated whether theprocess structure version can be stopped entirely. In this mode, theinjection logic templates are also disabled to prevent injection of newparticipants into an old version.

In an embodiment the campaign management system is configured to suspendprocessing of a participant record when it has been processed inaccordance with the last configured logic template of a configuredprocess sequence of a first process structure version, and wherein saidsuspended processing is resumed when a second process structure versionis created which second process structure version defines a furtherconfigured logic template of said configured process sequence.

According to this advantageous embodiment of the invention, aparticipant record which gets to the last configured logic template of aplanned campaign, is not simply ejected or forgotten. Instead processingof it is just suspended until further processing is made possible, whichmay advantageously be made possible by creating a new version of theprocess structure, which new version provides further options orconfigured logic templates to the participant record to be processed inaccordance with. By the advantageous present invention, theseparticipant records may be migrated to the newer process structureversion to resume their processing. Hence, when processing ofparticipants has reached an end of a processing sequence, instead ofconsidering the campaign finished for their part and ejecting them, itis possible to resume their processing if a later version of thecampaign adds further steps to the particular processing sequenceselected by those participants. In other words, according to anembodiment of the present invention, a campaign never ends for aparticipant, as evolvement of the campaign may cause resumption ofprocessing for that participant.

According to the disclosure, configured process sequences denote thepossible sequences through the process structure, defined by thecouplings of logic templates in the graphical user interface. In otherwords, each configured process sequence defines a possible way ofexecution of participant records through a campaign or other process.Each branch or rejoin of graphical connections and graphical sequenceconnection points, and each possible process feedback from a forwardpoint of a logic template back to the receive point of the same logictemplate, possible via other logic templates, results in a differentconfigured process sequence. As the user editable parameters are asignificant part of configuring the possible connection points of thelogic templates, they thereby also in practice facilitate the possiblecouplings and thereby the possible configured process structures.

In an embodiment said plurality of participant records comprises two ormore participant records associated with the same participant.

A participant may be represented by two or more participant records forvarious reasons. For example by being injected into the campaign severaltimes where allowed, or by being forked after an interaction whereseveral options are selected where allowed. The different participantrecords associated with the same participant may be processed inaccordance with the same or different process structure versions, andmay be migrated to newer versions, even if there already exists aparticipant record associated with that participant.

According to the present disclosure, a participant is an external andreal person or object which the campaign basically is directed towards.In the present context a participant may thus be a person, a machine, adevice, etc., to which a campaign can be directed. Each campaign istypically directed to a specific kind of participants, e.g. persons.Examples of participants may include clients or leads in a CRM system,webshop users, conference participants, campaign subjects, subscribersto services, sold, leased or rented products such as cars or other meansfor transportation, batteries for electric vehicles, etc. In theprocessing of the campaign, the participants are represented byparticipant records. The participants may or may not know that they aresubject of a campaign, but a campaign typically causes some kind ofinteraction with the participants, irrespective of the participantsbeing aware that it is controlled by the processing of the campaign. Aparticipant may be anonymous to the campaign in the sense that theparticipant record may include more or less information about theparticipant it represents, from an arbitrary GUID or serial number orthe like when nothing else is available, to complete participantidentifiable data such as name, address, email address, social securitynumber, etc. in campaigns where this kind of information is relevant.

In an embodiment said common configured logic template is a configuredlogic template which corresponds in type between said subsets of saidplurality of configured logic templates.

The migration between two process structure versions may be preferablybe implemented when the common configured logic template being the pointof migration is of the same type of logic template in both versions,however possibly with different configurations.

In an embodiment said common configured logic template is a configuredlogic template which corresponds substantially in configuration betweensaid subsets of said plurality of configured logic templates.

The migration between two process structure versions may beadvantageously implemented when the common configured logic templatebeing the point of migration is configured similarly or substantiallyidentical in both versions. This means, that new options or features,e.g. sequence forward points, may have been added, some parameters bechanged, e.g. filters, but generally no options or features have beenremoved. In other words, a reconfiguration involving disabling sequenceforward points or removing local participant attributes may disqualifythe configured logic template for use as migration point, i.e. commonconfigured logic template.

In an embodiment said process structure versions and said participantrecords for processing by said process structure versions represent acampaign.

In an embodiment one or more campaign attributes are common between saidtwo or more process structure versions.

Some data may be relevant across all participants of a campaign, andsuch data are referred to as campaign attributes. Campaign attributesmay for example be useful when exactly one object is needed tocoordinate actions across the campaign. This may for example beinitialization data for the campaign, general settings and configurationof the campaign, or a value that is shared between all participants,e.g. the number of prizes in a lottery, the number of seats at an event,the current leader of a collection, etc. In other words, the campaignattributes may in an aspect be considered ‘singletons’ in the scope of acampaign. In an advantageous embodiment with two or more processstructure versions and migration functionality between them, thecampaign attributes may be managed individually for each version, or bemanaged as singletons across versions.

In an embodiment one or more campaign attributes are different betweensaid two or more process structure versions.

It may be advantageous to facilitate campaign attributes that are tiedto specific versions of a campaign, in order to have differentattributes in different versions, or in order to facilitate differentvalues of a campaign attribute in different versions.

In an embodiment said global participant attributes are defined across aplurality of campaigns defined by different respective processstructures, and wherein said local participant attributes are definedfor a subset of said plurality of campaigns CAM).

In the present disclosure, the terms global and local with respect toparticipant attributes denote the origin, and thereby originalavailability, of an attribute value in the scope of a campaign. A localparticipant attribute thus refers to a participant attribute of whichthe value is produced during the course of the campaign, possiblygenerated within the campaign or based on external data not being masterdata of the participant. Local participant attributes may comprisetemplate-specific local participant attributes relating to or beingrelevant only to specific logic templates, e.g. as temporary preservingof events or choices, and campaign-specific local participant attributesgenerally available and relevant over the course of the campaign toseveral logic templates, e.g. for consolidating interactions.

The use of local participant attributes allows a user, i.e. the campaigndesigner to establish campaigns which may be logically executed based onlocal logical or variable parameters and where values may be derived andobtained entirely during the execution of a campaign. The attributes andthe values they contain, may thus be restricted to the individualcampaigns by design, thereby offering data-protection by design.

There are numerous further technical advantages by allowing and applyingsuch local participant attributes. One such advantage is that the globalparticipant attributes may be maintained by a centralized ERP or CRMmanagement according to enterprise policies across all company. Suchmanagement and maintenance may easily be relatively rigid and the resultin most larger enterprises is high inertia with respect to attributesdesired or needed for running of relevant campaigns. In the presentcontext, a user, here a system designer, may establish local variablesapplied for just one or a few campaigns.

In an embodiment said local participant attribute is campaign specific.

Again, when a local participant is campaign specific, it is possible toencapsulate the obtained data, i.e. the data contained by the localparticipant attributes, completely within a campaign, thereby ensuringthat data are not applied for the execution of other campaigns. Campaignspecific in the present context not only designates that a local copy ofan attribute is in play for use and processing in participant records.It also means that a user, .e.g. a system designer, may defineattributes/variables applicable for execution to the respective campaignalone. This means that a campaign can be executed within requiring theuser to have in-depth knowledge about all master data, e.g. a clientdatabase of a CRM and in particular, no requirement for in-depthknowledge about the attributes of the client database. A particular nicefeature of the local participant attributes which may be applied forlogical use/gathering of campaign specific information/relevantcommunication with the participants is that the user may relatively easyand with no risk of cross contamination with other campaigns establishedrelevant attributes/variables instead of just using available andglobally allowed/defined attributes.

In an embodiment the local participant attribute is named and defined bya user.

The name of the local participant attribute is typically defined as acombination of characters. The naming may e.g. be performed according toconventional principles when naming variables, and the defining of thelocal participant attributes may e.g. be performed with reference togeneral attribute types allowed and defined for the overall campaignmanagement system. The campaign management system may also provide foruser-established data types or data sets, which may be applied inrelation to a user defined campaign.

To be named and defined may typically involve a user-defined attributename. A user-defined attribute name may e.g. be established by means ofa logic template provided for such purpose and where the name isestablished during configuring of the template. A user-defined attributename may thus be introduced e.g. in a template applied for communicationwith a participant, e.g. a “letter” template where a relevant text anddesign is applied for communication with the participants and where aparticipant, by means of a user interaction defined and established inthe campaign in question, may perform logical choices or give text inputin a language which is easy to understand for both the participant andthe user and also which is easily captured and processable by thecampaign management system. A simple example could e.g. be that a systemdesigner wants to run a campaign where the participants are offered e.g.three different loyalty awards; a box of chocolate, a free walking tourin your own garden or a Porsche car.

Thus, local attributes called e.g. “Chocolate”, “Walking tour” andPorsche may be established by the user when configuring a logic templateand the template may also be configured for establishment ofcommunication with the individual participant, e.g. landing page, SMS,e-mail or whatever interactive communication method available now and inthe future. The choices made may easily be captured in the individualparticipant records and the choices may also be applied logically, e.g.to congratulate the ones who chose the Porsche as they were clearly theonly ones who read the offer. It is also easy e.g. to establish maximumnumber in relation to the chosen items as the choices are now capturedand logically available for e.g. automatic modification of the campaignwhen all the chocolate available has been chosen and where the campaignis to be terminated or where other items are to be offered.

Again, it is important to understand that such local participantattributes makes is easy for a user, even a user having limited trainingin programming, to design a relatively complex campaign as the localparticipant attributes are easy to understand and apply logically as theuser designing the specific campaign has an in-depth understanding ofwhat he or she intended the local attribute to logically cover or infer.In a campaign management system, which is always designed for executionof a plurality of campaigns, at least over time, such a features makesit possible for a user to establish a campaign without disturbing logicin other campaigns and also without being limited by the logicunderstanding of the attribute as established by another user in anothercampaign.

In an embodiment the local participant attribute for a campaign is namedand defined by a user by means of the graphical interface and whereinthe local participant attribute is contained and updated in theparticipant records processed by the process structure of the campaign.

By keeping local participant attributes and updates values/states of thelocal participant attributes in participant records of a respectivecampaign it is easy to capture the obtained information from theparticipants, but it is also easy to keep track of how the individualparticipants have acted with respect to the local participant attribute.It thus not only means that information with respect to the particularparticipant is directly and unambiguously available for access, reading,modification, counting, etc.

In an embodiment the local participant attribute is named and definedduring configuration of the logic templates into a configured logictemplate.

A logic template may advantageously include predefined data fields,where a user may name a local participant attribute and optionallyassociate a data type to the attribute.

The logic template may furthermore include different options forconfiguration of interaction with a participant, e.g. e-mail, landingpages, SMS, etc and wherein the configured interaction channels inputdata from a participant to the campaign management system to be used inthe specific campaign, and wherein the channeling of input data to thecampaign via the configured logic template is captured as localparticipant attributes in the context as defined by the user whenconfiguring the logic template in question.

In an embodiment the logic template when configured defines a name of alocal participant attribute and moreover a participant interactionchannel, by means of which a participant may update the localparticipant attribute of the participant record associated to theparticipant.

The updating of the local participant attribute includes choices made,i.e. logical choices or e.g. input data such as numbers, names,characters, etc. These data is then available for the use during theexecution of the process structure with respect to the participantrecords.

An interacting channel in the present context included a means forcommunication with a participant, e.g. an e-mail, where a participantmay be requested information, choices, etc and where a user maycommunicate back to the campaign management system and where a choicemade by a particular participant as related to a associated particularparticipant record may be captured more or less directly in aparticipant record. In other words, a choice made by the participant,may be directly captured and applied for branching/executing thecampaign as the participant interaction channel is configured forcapturing the incoming data and registering and capturing these incomingdata to the correct respective participant records. The participantinteraction channel may for example be established through a participantcontact interface by means of a configured interaction logic template. +

In an embodiment at least one of said configured logic templates isestablished for execution of program logic on the basis of a localparticipant attribute of a participant record to be processed accordingto the process structure of a respective campaign.

In an embodiment the execution of executable program fragments accordingto the process structure include campaign specific logic operating onthe basis of local participant attributes of participant recordsprocessed according to process structure of the campaign.

In an embodiment the local participant attribute of a respectiveparticipant record is updated at least partly on the basis of the trackhistory of the participant record by an executed program fragment of aprocess structure.

In an embodiment a campaign is further associated with a campaignattribute of a campaign record and wherein the campaign attribute isupdated in relation to the individual campaign.

A campaign attribute may advantageously be a local attribute in thesense that it is a campaign specific attribute which is not globallydefined and the campaign attribute may contain relevant data describingor reflection the execution of the process structure on a campaignbasis, thereby e.g. capturing accumulated data obtained through theprocessing of the individual participant records. Such data could e.g.include the capturing of the accumulated number of participants of acampaign who have chosen or won a certain gift.

In other words, such campaign attributes may be applied for capturing ofdata related to the campaign rather than capturing data specific forparticipants in a given campaign as captured in the individualparticipant records. Such campaign attributes may thus be applied by auser to capture data of interest related to the campaign as such. Suchdata could e.g. be a campaign attribute “Participant number” and simplydesignate the number of initiated participant records related to aspecific campaign. If a user, by example, would target a minimum ormaximum participants—as represented by respective participant records—ina campaign such a campaign attribute would be an easy instrument ofautomatically continuing the campaign until a certain amount ofparticipant records have been processed/initiated or e.g. automaticallyterminating the campaign when the desired amount of participant recordshas been processed/initiated. In other words, such a campaign attributescontains data related to the campaign across the involved participants.

In an embodiment said global participant attributes are established onthe basis of master data available for all campaigns and where localparticipant attributes are generated with respect to individualcampaigns.

In an embodiment said global participant attributes are established onthe basis of master data available for all campaigns and where localparticipant attributes are established on the basis of campaign-specificdata and/or campaign-specific data definition defined by the userindependent of said master data.

In the present context campaign specific data may e.g. refer to the nameof the local participant attribute in question, where a user, during theprocess of setting up a campaign establishes and defines a name of thelocal participant attribute to be used in the campaign in question.Moreover, in relation to the established attribute, the user mayassociate or rather define a data type associated with the localparticipant attribute in question. Where the name would be anappropriate example of campaign-specific, a data type such as e.g. astring of characters, integer whatever appropriate data type relevantfor the named local participant attribute.

In an embodiment the campaign management system is configured forexecution of a live mode and a test mode, wherein the live mode for thecampaign executes executable program fragments of the process structurefor processing of the individual participant records established for arespective campaign, wherein the test mode executes executable programfragment of the process structure of the respective campaign and whereinparticipant interaction is suspended in test mode, and wherein the testmode is executed on the basis of a plurality of participant records andwherein the participant records comprises participant attributes andwherein the participant attributes include participant record trackhistory.

Suspension of participant interaction in the present context primarilyrefers to the technical implication that automatic communication to andfrom participants related to respective participant records are notautomatically communicated with by means of the campaign managementsystem.

In an embodiment the test mode is executed on the basis of a pluralityof participant records which have already been at least partly processedin a respective campaign running in live mode and/or in test mode.

According to the invention, a system is e.g. provided for testing partlyprocessed participant records of a given campaign. This means both thata test can make sense even if test participant records are onlyprocessed partly along and according to the process structure. A testingmay thus be executed for testing of how the filter creating theparticipant records of the respective process structure are working. Itis also possible to check weather dead-ends or deadlocks may beexpected.

Another advantageous feature of an embodiment of the invention is thattesting may be performed on the basis of participant records copied orderived from a live mode campaign which has not finalized.

In an embodiment a current state of the participant record includescurrent values of the participant attributes of the record and currentparticipant track history related to the participant record at a giventime.

The time at which a current state is recorded may refer to a real timeat which a live campaign was/is running or it may refer to an emulatedtime.

In an embodiment a campaign includes at least two process structureversions of the process structure.

A campaign is generally run with respect to a process structure ordifferent versions of the process structure. The process structure maybe updated during the life cycle of a campaign to newer versions or testversions. Each version may be applied as a basis for execution in eithertest or live mode. A campaign should preferably only run one live modeversion of a process structure in which new participant records may beinjected. It is thus possible to have more than one process structureversion running in live mode however new participant records are onlyinjected in to the newest of the process structure versions running inlive mode. In test mode, it is possible to run more than one version ofa process structure as such execution will not interfere with realparticipant and not interfere with the current participant records of acampaign. Such interference would be unacceptable or at least verydifficult to handle and should be avoided.

By registering and keeping the track history in the track history it ispossible to ensure that a proper resumption of the campaign may beperformed, even if the campaign is resumed in another version of theprocess structure.

In a test mode, it may be highly relevant to distinguish betweenversions of process structures to be tested, and this distinguishedshould preferably also be reflected in the track history of theparticipant records forming basis of the campaign when run in test mode.

In an embodiment the test mode is executed on the basis the testparticipant records.

In an embodiment the test mode is executed without affecting theparticipant records of the respective campaign run in live mode.

In an embodiment the test participant records is produced as a copy ofparticipant records in a current state at a given time.

In an embodiment the test participant records are produced as anemulation of participant records in an emulated state of a specifiedcampaign.

It may be advantageous to establish an emulated state of participantrecords for use in test mode instead of applying real data obtained froma live mode. It may thus be possible to establish an artificial group ofparticipant test records designed specifically for testing a part of theprocess structure. This way of testing within the process structure maybe even more advantageous when a process structure is under redesign asa user may specifically test the part of the process structure whichhave been redesigned. Such a testing may of course be performed by meansof real data obtained from a live mode, but dedicated test participantrecords may be designed for testing obscure or particular states of acampaign.

In an embodiment the test participant records processed during test modeincludes participant attributes.

In an embodiment the test participant records comprise participantattributes being processable by said executable program fragments ofsaid logic templates according to said process structure and wherein theparticipant records comprises global participant attributes and localparticipant attributes.

In an embodiment the test participant records includes track history.

When including track history in the individual test participant recordsof a campaign it is possible to run a test on participant records whichhave already been processed in live mode of the respective campaign,thereby facilitating an advantageous facility for a user redesigning theprocess structure of the campaign. Such a track history may also beemulated with the same result, namely that a process structure of acampaign may even be tested on the basis of test participant recordswhich have already be partly processed through the process structure.

In an embodiment the campaign management system is designed for runningin live mode on the basis of a first version of a process structure of acampaign and running in test mode one the basis of a second version of aprocess structure of the same campaign, and wherein the first version ofthe process structure is different from the second version of theprocess structure.

In an embodiment the campaign management system is designed forsimultaneous execution of live mode of a process structure of a campaignand a test mode, the live mode operating on participant records relatedto the campaign and the test mode operating on test participant records.

In an embodiment the test participant records are derived and copiedfrom participant records of the campaign when running in live mode.

In an embodiment the test participant records are emulated.

In an embodiment current state of a specified participant record in livemode and/or in test mode is monitored and optionally visualized as aprogression relative to a process structure of a campaign and whereinthe progression relative to the process structure is referred to as theparticipant location

It should be noted that a participant location is a somewhat abstractdesignation of the process as neither the participant nor theparticipant record is moved or transferred during the process. Theparticipant record rather captures the present state of the attributes,including the registered track history of the participant recordrelative to the progression along the process structure. In real life,the participant, will however experience progression along the processstructure, of course only to the degree that participant interactionsare in fact involved.

In an embodiment the processing of the participant records in live modeand/or in test mode is monitored with respect to and in relation to theprocess structure and graphically illustrated by means of the graphicaluser interface with reference to or related to graphical elementsrepresenting configured logic templates of the user-defined processstructure.

It is thereby possible to illustrate the progression of the processingof the participant records and it is thereby possible to establishwhether participants are dead-ended or whether some of the processstructure needs to be modified.

In an embodiment the progression of the processing of the participantrecords related to a specified campaign in live mode and/or in test modeare graphically illustrated by means of the graphical user interfacewith reference to or related to graphical elements representingconfigured logic templates of the user-defined process structure asaccumulated numbers of participant records having a certain participantlocation.

All participant records in the process of being processed according tothe process structure may be illustrated or subsets of the participantrecords may be illustrated depending on the type of knowledge a user ora supervisor running the campaign may need.

In an embodiment the progression of the processing of the participantrecords related to a specified campaign in live mode and/or in test modeare graphically illustrated by means of the graphical user interfacewith reference to or related to graphical elements representingconfigured logic templates of the user-defined process structure asaccumulated numbers of participant records having processed via acertain participant location.

In the present context, the meaning of participant records which havebeen processed along a certain participant location has the meaning thata participant in the present context may pass by a certain step, e.g. anexecutable program fragment, several times. If this is the case, it maybe highly advantageous to monitor not only participant present at agiven location, but it may alternatively or also be advantageous for acampaign monitoring the number of participant, as represented by theirrespective participant records, having passed a certain location asdefined relative to the process structure.

In an embodiment the progression of the processing of the participantrecords related to a specified campaign in live mode and/or in test modeare graphically illustrated by means of the graphical user interfacewith reference to or related to graphical elements representingconfigured logic templates of the user-defined process structure asaccumulated numbers of participant records, and wherein the graphicallyillustrated participant records are filtered with respect to a filteringparameter.

A filtering parameter in the present context relates to many differentpossible ways of extracting the desired information. The filtering couldbe performed with respect to the participant gender, age, preferenceswith respect to products, etc. The filtering would as such then e.g.provide a possibility of monitoring visually the accumulated number oftotal participants of a certain campaign having entered the different“steps” of the process structure, and then switch to another view whereonly male participant are illustrated. In this way, it may be possiblefor the campaign designer, the user, or the person in responsibility ofthe campaign in a live mode to view and check not only whether thecampaign is running as intended but also check if some groups ofparticipants are following different paths along the process structure.Everything may be performed in real-time.

Such filtering may also give the person responsible of the campaigninformation to decide whether the campaign should be optimized orpaused, completely or partly.

In an embodiment the filtering parameter includes gender, age, country,nationality, consumption history, relevant local attributes related to aspecific campaign, etc.

In an embodiment the campaign management system when running in testmode is configured for emulation of the participant input for each or aplurality of the test participant records related to a tested processstructure.

In an embodiment the campaign management system when running in testmode is configured for user input of participant input for each or aplurality of the test participant records related to a tested processstructure.

In an embodiment an emulation of participant input is configured to be apre-defined or user-defined percentage in relation to possibleparticipant input over the complete group of test participant recordsentering processing by a respective executable program fragment of aconfigured interaction logic template.

In the present context, the system may be configured for differentpre-defined percentages of possible outcomes of participant inputfacilitating execution of configured interaction logic templates, orrather their associated executable program fragment on the basis ofvirtual participant-input rather than real participant input. This is ofattractive as a complete testing of the process structure may becompletely executed when participant input is suspended.

In an embodiment an emulation of participant input is configured to be apre-defined or user-defined percentage in relation to possibleparticipant input over the complete group of test participant recordsentering processing by a respective executable program fragment of aconfigured interaction logic template and wherein the emulatedparticipant input are distributed over the complete group of testparticipant records entering processing by the respective executableprogram fragment of a configured interaction logic template in arandomized way to obtained the predefined or user defined percentage.

When a certain distribution of possible participant input has beenestablished, the distribution may advantageously be obtainedsemi-randomly. An example of such a testing could be that the user, whentesting a configured YES/NO interaction logic template in test modesimply inputs that a 50/50 distribution is desired. The testing logicwill then distribute a YES input to 50 percent of randomly chosen testparticipant records and a NO input to 50 percent other of randomlychosen test participant records. It goes without saying that otherpercentages may be preconfigured or determined by the user.

In an embodiment user-emulated participant input are input bygraphically activating the respective graphical element of theconfigured interaction logic template and inputting the user-emulatedparticipant input in predefined test fields corresponding to participantattributes of the configurable interaction logic template of the processstructure.

In an embodiment the campaign management system when running in testmode is configured for user input of participant input for each or aplurality of the test participant records related to a tested processstructure and wherein user-input participant input are input bygraphically activating the respective graphical element of theconfigured interaction logic template and inputting the user-inputparticipant input in predefined test fields corresponding to participantattributes of the configurable interaction logic template of individualtest participant records.

In an embodiment the management system reads, processes and/or modifiesparticipant attributes of participant records by a sequence of one ofmore executable program fragments according to the process structure andwherein the execution of one of more executable program fragments can besuspended in response to user action and/or participant action andwherein the execution of the process structure can be resumed inresponse to user action and/or participant action.

In an embodiment the management system reads, processes and/or modifiesparticipant attributes of participant records by a sequence of one ofmore executable program fragments according to the process structure andwherein the execution of one of more executable program fragments can besuspended in response to user action and/or participant action andwherein the execution of the process structure can be resumed inresponse to user action and/or participant action and wherein thecampaign management system is configured for executing a test modeduring suspension initiated by a user action.

In an embodiment the campaign management system in configured with adesign mode, wherein the campaign management system is configured forexecuting a design mode and a live mode, wherein the management systemin design mode executes a graphical design environment of a campaignwherein the graphical elements are couplable using said graphical userinterface by a user, the coupling defining a process structure of saidexecutable program fragments on the basis said configured logictemplates in relation to said participant records and wherein the testmode is running during design mode.

It may be desirable to configure the system for running the test modeand the design mode at the same time, thereby facilitating that a usermay both graphically a process structure and at the same time or switchbetween design and test mode, without entering the live mode of thedesigned/test version of the process structure. In this way, aa user maydesign or re-design a process structure or a new version of an alreadyrunning process structure and test the new version from time to timeduring the design or re-design process.

In an embodiment the campaign management system is configured forexecution of a live mode and a test mode,

In an embodiment the live mode for the campaign executes executableprogram fragments of the process structure for processing of theindividual participant records established for a respective campaign,

In an embodiment the test mode executes executable program fragment ofthe process structure of the respective campaign and wherein participantinteraction is suspended in test mode, and

In an embodiment the test mode is executed on the basis of a pluralityof participant records which have already been at least partly processedin a respective campaign running in live mode and/or in test mode.

In an embodiment the test mode is executed on the basis of a pluralityof participant records and wherein the participant records comprisesparticipant attributes and wherein the participant attributes includeparticipant record track history.

In an embodiment said plurality of participant records is stored in aparticipant record database, such as a distributed database.

In an embodiment said plurality of configured logic templates is hostedon one or more server computers arranged to execute said executableprogram fragment.

A logic template may be distributed so that for example the executableprogram fragment is stored in a different storage possibly at adifferent physical location than for example the user editableparameters, and/or the GUI displaying the associated graphical element.The executable program fragment of a logic template may be a fullycontained program fragment, or may merely include code or a pointer toanother executable program fragment, subprocedure, software library,etc., or a combination thereof. Thereby different logic templates maypartially share code and/or utilize general code.

In an embodiment said process structure is stored in a process structuredatabase, such as a distributed database.

In an embodiment said participant record database and/or said processstructure database is hosted on said one or more server computers.

THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the invention will in the following be describedwith reference to the drawings where

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a campaign management system,

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a computer system and a graphicaluser interface as experienced by a user of a campaign management system,

FIGS. 3-5 illustrate embodiments of participant and participant recordassociations,

FIGS. 6-8 illustrate embodiments of relations to master data of theparticipant,

FIGS. 9-10 illustrate embodiments of relations of master data toparticipant attributes,

FIGS. 11-13 illustrate embodiments of process structures defined bylogic templates,

FIG. 14 illustrates an embodiment of a configured process sequence,

FIGS. 15-17 illustrate embodiments of configuring logic templates of aprocess structure,

FIGS. 18-19 illustrates embodiments of looping in a process structure,

FIG. 20 illustrates an embodiment of a graphical user interfacecomprising a graphical design environment and a graphical elementlibrary,

FIGS. 21-22 illustrate embodiments of process structures as graphicallyillustrated in a graphical user interface,

FIGS. 23-25 illustrate embodiments of progressing a participant recordbetween configured logic templates,

FIG. 26 illustrates an embodiment of processing participant records byexecutable program fragments,

FIG. 27 illustrates an embodiment of a track history of a participantrecord processed according to a process structure,

FIG. 28 illustrates an embodiment of logic template comprising agraphical element and an executable program fragment,

FIGS. 29-30 illustrate embodiments of configuring user editableparameters,

FIGS. 31-32 illustrate embodiments of configuring local participantattributes,

FIG. 33 illustrates an embodiment attributes in a campaign,

FIG. 34 illustrates an embodiment of choosing a predetermined attributetype and defining a user-defined attribute name,

FIGS. 35-37 illustrate embodiments of a live mode and a design mode,

FIGS. 38-42 illustrate embodiments of migrating participant recordsbetween process structure versions,

FIG. 43 illustrates an embodiment of an exemplary campaign,

FIG. 44 illustrates an embodiment of suspension and resumption of anexecutable program fragment,

FIG. 45 illustrates an embodiment of a campaign graphical pause buttonand a template graphical pause button,

FIGS. 46-49 illustrate embodiments of pausing a decision logic templateand numbering of participant records,

FIGS. 50-53 illustrate embodiments of handling participant records andtest participant records in live mode and test mode, and

FIG. 54 illustrates an embodiment of a computer architecture capable ofexecuting executable program fragments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to campaign management systems CAMS fordefining and executing campaigns CAM with respect to participants P. Acampaign in the present disclosure may be considered the technicalstructure set up to manage a customer relationship, advertisingcampaign, complaint, service or booking procedure, event participantmanagement, project management, object management, product life cyclemanagement, etc. The campaign CAM is defined as a process structure PSin the campaign management system CAMS by a user USER through agraphical user interface GUI, and the participants P are represented inthe campaign management system CAMS by participant records PREC. Thecampaign management system CAMS is described and explained in furtherdetails in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 with optional variants as described inFIGS. 20-22 .

The invention campaign management system may advantageously according toadvantageous embodiments focus on different ways a participant and auser may affect the execution of a campaign by invoking actively orpassively a pause of the campaign as such or e.g. by pausing specifiedor groups of configured logic templates of a process structure of thecampaign. The use of a suspension and the possibility of a subsequentresumption of the campaign makes it possible to pause campaigns e.g.because of overall business strategic or tactical goals but it alsomakes it possible to address and modify campaigns which have alreadyinitiated processing of participant records, i.e. campaigns alreadyrunning. Different attractive aspects of suspension are described inrelation of FIG. 44-49 .

FIG. 1 illustrates that the campaign management system CAMS comprise atleast a participant record PREC, a process structure PS and a graphicaluser interface GUI. The participant P is associated with the participantrecord PREC and the user USER of the campaign management system CAMS isinteracting with the process structure PS by means of the graphical userinterface GUI. The campaign management system CAMS is hosted by acomputer system COM. The campaign management system CAMS may compriseany number of participant records PREC associated with any number ofparticipants P.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention. A user USER of the campaignmanagement system CAMS may interact with the system through thegraphical user interface GUI which is presented on a display DISP. Thedisplay DISP is in communication with a computer system COM, or servercomputer, which is the computer system hosting the campaign managementsystem. In one embodiment the computer system is a distributed computersystem comprising several nodes of processing, and in another embodimentthe computer system is a stand-alone computer not forming part of adistributed computer system.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustrates aparticipant P, which is a real person who is engaging with a campaignCAM, such as for example a marketing campaign. In this context, theparticipant P may represent a customer to a company who has launched amarketing campaign aimed at their customers. The participant P isrepresented in the campaign CAM by a participant record PREC whichserves as a digital representation of the participant P. Thus, anassociation exists between the participant P and the participant recordPREC, as illustrated by the dotted line in FIG. 3 . The association mayfor example be implemented by the participant records PREC comprising aparticipant association PAS referring to a more or less uniqueidentifier of the participant P, such as for example an email address,telephone number, customer account number, social media account name,social security number, etc. The participant association PAS may in anembodiment comprise a combination of several data fields, e.g. emailaddress and customer number.

Each participant record PREC preferably comprises a unique participantrecord identifier PRID in order for the campaign management system CAMSto manage them differently according to their individual processing andinteractions with the associated participants P. The participant recordidentifier PRID may in an embodiment be the participant association PASused to associate with a participant P, e.g. email address, customernumber, etc. In preferred embodiments, the participant recordidentifiers PRID are arbitrary unique identifiers, e.g. a sequentialserial number or a universally unique identifier UUID, whereby the fieldfor association with a participant can be changed and does not have tobe unique, without the participant record losing its identification.Thereby is facilitated embodiments to manage several participant recordsPREC being associated with the same participant P, and embodiments wherethe association with a participant can change e.g. when better knowledgeis achieved. When a container record is used to hold several participantrecords associated with the same participant, the unique participantrecord identifier may be implemented as a combination of a containerrecord identifier and a sub-identifier of the individual instancesstored in the container record. The container record identifier may bean arbitrary identifier or a participant association PAS.

The participant P may actively engage with the campaign CAM throughdifferent interactions such as E-mails, text messages, e.g. SMS (ShortMessage Service) and a landing page in a web-browser as presented bye.g. a computer, smart phone, electronic tablet, or other electronicdevices featuring a display suited for display of such. The interactionsby the participant P are thus reflected in the participant record PRECwithin the campaign CAM. In practice, the participant record PRECcomprises a track history TH which is a history, or electronic log, ofthe interactions of the participant P with the campaign CAM. From theperspective of the participant P, the participant may not be aware ofthe scope of the campaign CAM that he or she is engaging with, but auser of the campaign management system CAMS managing and overlooking thecampaign CAM may be fully aware of the possible ways the participant Pcan interact with the campaign.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the invention where two participants P1-P2are each associated with their respective participant recordsPREC1-PREC2 having unique participant record identifiers PRID1-PRID2 aswell as unique participant associations PAS1-PAS2. Thereby the campaignmanagement system CAMS can process each participant individually inaccordance with the process structure PS of the campaign CAM. Any numberof participants P and associated participant records may be managed bythe campaign management system. From the viewpoint of the campaignmanagement system CAMS participant records PREC1-PREC2 not associatedwith the same participant P, for example because they were created fromdifferent master data, are accordingly handled differently by thecampaign management system CAMS. An embodiment is configured with acheck whereby, at a later point in time during the campaign CAM, thecampaign management system CAMS may realize that the two participantrecords PREC1-PREC2 are actually associated with the same participant P,i.e. participant P1 is the same as participant P2, and treat the twoparticipant records as the same participant record for example bymerging the participant records PREC1-PREC2. This situation may forexample be discovered if it turns out contact information, e.g.email-addresses, for two participants are identical.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustratesthat a single participant P is associated with two participant recordsPREC1-PREC2, as illustrated by the two dotted lines. Each of the twoparticipant records PREC1-PREC2 comprise a unique participant recordidentifier PRID1-PRID2, but they share the same participant associationPAS1. In other embodiments of the invention the participant P may beassociated with any number of participant records PREC. The reasoningbehind having associations between a single participant P and two ormore participant records PREC is that a participant P may have differentrelations to a campaign CAM based on e.g. the way the participant Pentered the campaign CAM. As an example, a participant P may first entera campaign CAM through a social media channel such as Facebook, Twitteror LinkedIn and later join the same campaign CAM using a differentchannel, such as by E-mail or by scanning a QR-code which redirects himor her to a landing page in a web browser where the participant may fillin a registration form that enters the participant P in the campaignCAM. Since the participant P may enter the same campaign CAM throughdifferent channels, and e.g. by using different credentials, such asFacebook account name and email address, different participant recordsPREC are created. This is advantageous since it allows for differentways of processing the same participant P through the campaign which maybe of great benefit to campaigns where it is interesting to processparticipants P differently depending on the way they were injected tothe campaign CAM. Two or more participant records PREC associated withthe same participant P may also occur when the participant decides topursue several options provided by the campaign CAM and requiringprocessing according to different parallel threads, or when a processstructure PS requires parallel handling of the same participant P,thereby requiring a forking of the participant record PREC.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing furtherelaborates on the associations between a participant P and a participantrecord PREC as illustrated in FIGS. 3-5 . The participant P is relatedto master data MD which is data about the participant such asidentification information, contact information, account information,E-mail addresses, address, telephone number, financial information,interests and sales information, or any other data related to theparticipant P. The participant record PREC is also related to masterdata MD concerning the participant P, and thus the association between aparticipant P and a participant record PREC is facilitated by masterdata MD. The relation between the participant P and the master data MDand the relation between the participant record PREC and the master dataMD are illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 6 .

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustratesthat a participant P is associated with two distinct participant recordsPREC1-PREC2. The associations with the participant P are facilitatedthrough master data MD which is stored in a database of master data MDB,which could be any data source for data about the participant. In thisembodiment, the two participant records PREC are related to differentsubsets of the master data MD contained in the same database of masterdata MDB, and may therefore be regarded as different instances of themaster data MD or different instances of the participant P. As anexample, the database of master data MDB may contain an email address,social media contact information, a home address and a telephone number.A first participant record PREC1 may include a first subset of masterdata, such as social media contact information and the other participantrecord PREC2 may include another subset of master data, such as emailaddress and a telephone number. Because the two participant recordsPREC1-PREC2 are not relating to identical subsets of master data MD,they may be regarded as different instances of the master data, ordifferent representations of the participant P in the context of thecampaign CAM. In an embodiment, the two participant records PREC1-PREC2associated with the same participant P may comprise identical subsets ofthe master data MD, as the several participant records PREC1-PREC2associated with the same participant P still facilitates individualprocessing of each participant record, and thereby the possibility forthe participant to experience different processing sequences through thecampaign, or the same processing sequence several times.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustratesthat master data MD relating to a participant P is stored in twodifferent databases of master data MDB1-MDB2, which can be any datasource. As an example, the participant may have master data MD stored ina cloud-based data source managed by a social media service provider,such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and other master data MD storedin a local CRM database, or for example a database managed by an emailservice provider such as Google, Microsoft and AOL. In other embodimentsof the invention, the master data MD relating to a participant P isstored in a plurality of databases of master data MDB.

The master data MD, stored in different databases of master dataMDB1-MDB2, are related to two different participant records PREC1-PREC2which are each associated with the same participant P. Master data MDfrom a first database MDB1 may be related to two different participantrecords PREC1-PREC2. As an example, a database may store a telephonenumber and an email address of a participant P, and one participantrecord may use the telephone number whereas another participant recordmay use the email address. In this example, master data MD from thesecond database of master data MDB2 is uniquely related to the firstparticipant record PREC1.

FIGS. 9-10 show embodiments of the invention. The drawing of FIG. 9illustrates a participant record PREC comprising global participantattributes GPA and local participant attributes LPA. The participantrecord PREC is associated with a participant P of a campaign CAM asdescribed above.

The global participant attributes GPA relate to data for the participantP which have existed prior to the beginning of the campaign CAM andwhich data represents at least a subset of available master data MD.This may for example be participant contact interface information PCIIrelating to a participant contact interface PCI, data about the identityof the participant, e.g. name, customer number, social security number,etc., data about preferences of the participant such as interests,favorites, etc., data about earlier history with the participant such asearlier webshop visits, transactions, communications, complaints, etc.Participant contact interfaces may e.g. be email client, telephone,message service interface, social media interface, geographical addressfor postal services or physical meeting, a communication client on acomputer, smartphone or other connected device, etc. The participantcontact interface information PCII is information enabling establishinga communication through a participant contact interface, e. g.email-address, a telephone number, a social media account name, a streetaddress, an internet address or other network address e.g. IP-address, adevice address e.g. MAC-address or advertising identifier, or aparticipant identifier.

The master data MD is stored in a database of master data MDB, e.g. adata source, such as for example a CRM database. Therefore, the masterdata MD may not be uniquely linked to global participant attributes GPAof participant records PREC of a specific campaign CAM but may be usedfor various participant records PREC each belonging to a specificcampaign CAM. The global participant attributes GPA correspondsrepresents only a subset of the available master data MD as illustrated.The subset may in various embodiments include all available master dataMD, a part thereof, a derived version thereof, or simply a single pieceof information forms the master data MD, e.g. a name or a customernumber. The global participant attributes GPA may store a copy of thesubset of master data MD or a derived version thereof, or it may simplystore a reference to the master data MD which also allows the campaignmanagement system CAMS to later rely on possibly updated values of themaster data MD.

The local participant attributes LPA are attributes that are not derivedfrom external master data MD but are defined and used within a specificcampaign CAM.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustratesthat global participant attributes GPA of a participant record PRECrelate to master data MD stored in two different databases of masterdata MDB1-MDB2.

The campaign CAM as discussed in the above is managed and overlooked bya user of the campaign management system CAMS. The campaign managementsystem CAMS is a computer implemented system which a user of the systemmay interact with in order to design a campaign CAM. The campaign CAM inthe context of the campaign management system CAMS is represented by aprocess structure PS comprising logic templates LT and/or configuredlogic templates CLT as will be explained in the following.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustrates anexample of a simple process structure PS representing a campaign CAM.The process structure PS comprises three logic templates LT1-LT3 whichtogether defines a processing sequence of a participant record PRECwithin the campaign CAM. In this regard, the logic templates LT1-LT3 maybe regarded as the execution steps of the campaign which are capable ofprocessing participant records PREC throughout the campaign CAM.Different campaigns CAM may be designed by the user of the campaignmanagement system CAMS by defining more process structures PS with logictemplates LT. A participant P interacts with the campaign CAM, asdefined by the process structure PS, and the representation of theparticipant, i.e. an associated participant record PREC is processed bythe individual logic templates LT1-LT3 according to the processstructure PS. In the example, a participant record PREC is firstprocessed by the first logic template LT1 before respectively beingprocessed by the second and third logic templates LT2-LT3. By processingof a participant record PREC is understood e.g. updating of a trackhistory TH, described below e.g. with reference to FIG. 27 , of theparticipant record PREC, modifying participant attributes PA, describedbelow e.g. with reference to FIG. 31 , of the participant record PREC,executing actions defined by the logic templates, etc. The logictemplates LT1-LT3 are steps of processing which may create participantrecords PREC within the campaign CAM, facilitate interactions with aparticipant P and perform logical operations to participant recordsPREC, e.g. filtering operations. Various roles, tasks and features ofdifferent logic templates are described below, for example withreference to FIG. 29 .

FIG. 12 shows a zoom-in on the second logic template LT2 of FIG. 11 .The zoom-in, as illustrated by a dashed circle, shows that the secondlogic template LT2 comprises two sequence connection points referred toas a sequence receive point SRP and a sequence forward point SFP. Inthis embodiment, the first logic template LT1 comprises a sequenceforward point SFP which is coupled to a sequence receive point SRP ofthe second logic template LT2, and the sequence forward point SFP of thesecond logic template LT2 is coupled to a sequence receive point SRP ofthe third logic template LT3. It is the couplings of sequence forwardpoints SFP and sequence receive points of logic templates LT that definepossible processing sequences of logic templates LT within a processstructure PS. In this example, only one possible sequence of logictemplates is shown, i.e. the sequence starting with the first logictemplate LT1, passing through the second logic template LT2 and endingwith the third logic template LT3.

FIG. 13 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustratesanother process structure PS comprising four logic templates LT1-LT4. Asseen in the figure, the structure of logic templates features a sequencebranching at the second logic template LT2. This branching is due to thefact that the second logic template LT2 comprises two sequence forwardpoints SFP. Clearly, by increasing the number of sequence forward pointsSFP of a logic template LT, more complex sequences of logic templates LTmay be formed.

FIG. 14 shows the same process structure PS as in FIG. 13 . Thebranching of the sequence of logic templates clearly facilitatesdifferent paths, referred to as processing sequences, throughout theprocess structure. In this example, two different paths are generateddue to the configuration of the second logic template LT2 with twosequence forward points which are both connected to individual logictemplates LT3-LT4. These two distinct paths are referred to asconfigured process sequences CPSEQ. The first configured processsequence CPSEQ1 comprises the sequence of the first logic template LT1,the second logic template LT2, and the third logic template LT3. Thesecond configured process sequence CPSEQ2 comprises the sequence of thefirst logic template LT1, the second logic template LT2, and the fourthlogic template LT4.

In the context of this process structure PS, other configured processsequences CPSEQ are also present. As an example, the coupling of thesecond logic template LT2 and the fourth logic template LT4 definesanother configured process sequence CPSEQ. In this sense, a configuredprocess sequence CPSEQ is any coupling of any number of logic templatesLT through couplings between sequence forward points SFP and sequencereceive points SRP. It is further evident from FIGS. 13-14 that a logictemplate LT may be included in more than one configured process sequenceCPSEQ. In fact, depending on the complexity of the process structure PS,a logic template LT may be included in any number of configured processsequences CPSEQ.

The user of the campaign management system CAMS may design a campaignCAM by defining a process structure PS comprising logic templates LTthat are coupled to define one or more configured process sequencesCPSEQ which participant records PREC may be processed by reference to.In order for the campaign CAM to be fully executable, the logictemplates LT have to be fully configured by properly defining usereditable parameters UEP of the respective logic templates LT. The usereditable parameters UEP may be regarded as settings for the individuallogic templates LT, and are described in more detail below, for examplewith reference to FIGS. 29-30 . A logic template LT which is fullyconfigured by the user of the campaign management system CAMS isreferred to as a configured logic template CLT. A configured logictemplate CLT is executable by a processing engine ENG of the campaignmanagement system CAMS, described below, e.g. with reference to FIGS.23-26 .

FIG. 15 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustrates aprocess structure PS comprising logic templates that have beenconfigured in such a way that three configured logic templates CLT1-CLT3are present. As seen, two distinct configured process sequences arepresent. A configured process sequence comprising the first configuredlogic template CLT1, the second configured logic template CLT2, and thethird configured logic template CLT3, and a configured process sequencecomprising the first configured logic template CLT1, the secondconfigured logic template CLT2, and the fourth logic template LT4. Thefourth logic template LT4 represents a logic template which has not yetbeen configured. Although the fourth logic template LT4 has not beenfully configured it still forms part of a configured process sequence.In a preferred embodiment, the process structure PS of FIG. 15 can beexecuted even without the fourth logic template LT4 being configured.However, when a processing along the second configured process sequencereached the fourth logic template LT4, the execution may be suspendeduntil this logic template has been configured and thereby allowsexecution to resume.

FIG. 16 shows the same process structure PS as in FIG. 15 , however thefourth logic template LT4 is now fully configured such that this logictemplate is now a fourth configured logic template CLT4.

FIG. 17 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustrates aprocess structure PS similar to the process structure PS shown in FIG.16 with the addition of a fifth logic template LT5. The fifth logictemplate LT5 is not coupled to any of the other configured logictemplates CLT1-CLT4 of the process structure and as such it does notform part of any configured process sequence CPSEQ until such a couplingestablished. The fifth logic template LT5 may also form part of a futureconfigured process sequence established through association with otherlogic templates LT inserted into the process structure PS at a latertime by the user of the campaign management system CAMS.

A process structure PS may not necessarily only feature configuredprocess sequences CPSEQ that follow a strict ordering of logic templatesor configured logic templates CLT where each of these only appear in theconfigured process sequence once.

FIG. 18 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustrates aprocess structure PS comprising five configured logic templatesCLT1-CLT5. Both the second configured logic template CLT2 and the fourthconfigured logic template CLT4 comprises two sequence forward points SFPsuch that each of these configured logic templates are forming part ofmore than one configured process sequence. One of the sequence forwardpoints of the fourth configured logic template CLT4 couples to asequence receive point SRP of itself, as graphically shown by a loop. Inprinciple, this means that an infinite number of configured processsequences CPSEQ is configured since a configured process sequence CPSEQwhich includes such a loop may include the loop any number of times. Inpractice the fourth configured logic template CLT4 may be configured bythe user of the campaign management system such that it only allows acertain number of loops, or re-entries, of a participant record PREC inthe logic template.

FIG. 19 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention. The drawingillustrates that the fourth configured logic template CLT4 by twodifferent sequence forward points is coupled to the fifth configuredlogic template CLT5 as well as the second configured logic templateCLT2, which coupling forms a loop, or re-entry, into the secondconfigured logic template CLT2. In principle, this means that aninfinite number of configured process sequences CPSEQ is configuredsince a configured process sequence CPSEQ which includes such a loop mayinclude the loop any number of times. In practice the fourth configuredlogic template CLT4 may be configured by the user of the campaignmanagement system such that it only allows a certain number of loops, orre-entries, of a participant record PREC in the logic template.

A user of the campaign management system CAMS is able to design andcreate a campaign CAM by defining a process structure PS comprisinglogic templates LT and/or configured logic templates CLT which arecoupled to each other through sequence forward points SFP and sequencereceive points SRP. The user does this through a graphical userinterface GUI of the campaign management system CAMS, which may bevisible to the user on a display/screen associated with acomputer/server.

FIG. 20 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustrates agraphical user interface GUI, which is the interface of the campaignmanagement system CAMS that the user interacts with. The graphical userinterface GUI allows the user of the campaign management system CAMS todesign and build a process structure PS of logic templates LT andconfigure them to form configured logic templates CLT. A logic templateLT, or configured logic template CLT, comprises a graphical element GE,which serve as a graphical representation of the logic template in thegraphical user interface GUI. A process structure PS comprising logictemplates LT and/or configured logic templates CLT is thereby alsovisible in the graphical user interface GUI through couplings ofgraphical elements GE.

The process structure PS shown in FIG. 20 represents the same processstructure PS shown in FIG. 11 , but merely on a graphical level asvisualized in the graphical user interface GUI. The process structurePS, in this example, comprises three graphical elements GE1-GE3 that arecoupled by graphical connections GC between sequence forward points SFPand sequence receive points SRP of the graphical elements. The sequenceforward points SFP and sequence receive points SRP are embodied as dotsand the graphical connections are embodied as lines, although othergeometrical shapes are conceivable. Likewise, the graphical elements GEmay take any shape or form. By placing the graphical elements GE1-GE3 ina graphical design environment GDENV of the graphical user interface GUIand connecting the graphical elements GE1-GE3 by graphical connectionsGC, the user of the campaign management system CAMS is enabled to definea desired process structure PS comprising one or more configured processsequences CPSEQ in an intuitive way. In this example, the secondgraphical element GE2 comprises a single sequence forward point SFP,however in other embodiments of the invention, a graphical element GEmay comprise a plurality of sequence forward points SFP.

The graphical user interface GUI further comprises a graphical elementslibrary GEL, which shows the user of the campaign management system CAMSthe graphical elements GE that are available to him/her in the processof defining a process structure PS. The graphical element library GELmay present the graphical elements GE in a manner where the graphicalelements GE are sorted according to the functions of the correspondinglogic templates LT. The user of the campaign management system CAMS mayselect graphical elements GE to be placed in the graphical designenvironment GDENV by scrolling up or down in the graphical elementslibrary GEL if the library contains more graphical elements GE than whatmay be presented in the view at the same time. Selections in thegraphical user interface GUI may be performed using a mouse cursor MC.In this view, the graphical user interface GUI can illustrate tendifferent graphical elements GE at the same time. In other embodimentsof the invention, the graphical elements library GEL is arranged todisplay any number of graphical elements GEL at the same time.

By clicking on and dragging graphical elements GE from the graphicalelements library GEL to the graphical design environment GDENV using amouse cursor MC, the user of the campaign management system is able toselect graphical elements GE1-GE3 needed for a desired process structurePS. By drawing a line, using the mouse cursor MC, between sequenceforward points SFP and sequence receive points SRP of the graphicalelements GE1-GE3, the user is able to couple the graphical elementsGE1-GE3 and thereby defining configured process sequences CPSEQ. On thegraphical level, as illustrated in the graphical user interface GUI, thecouplings are represented by the graphical connections GC. In thisembodiment, the graphical connections GC are drawn by dragging a linefrom a sequence forward point SFP to a sequence receive point SRP orvice versa from a sequence receive point SRP to a sequence forward pointSFP. Generally, pointer-based (e.g. by a computer mouse) or touch-based(e.g. by a finger tip) drag-and-drop functionality as known by theperson skilled in the art of graphical user interfaces may be providedfor intuitive building and rearranging of the process structure.

FIG. 21 shows another process structure PS as shown in a graphical userinterface GUI. The process structure PS comprises six graphical elementsGE1-GE6 coupled by graphical connections. As seen, the process structurePS comprises two configured process sequences CPSEQ; a first configuredprocess sequence CPSEQ1 comprising a first graphical element GE1, asecond graphical element GE2, a third graphical element GE3 and a fourthgraphical element GE4, and a second configured process sequence CPSEQ2comprising the first graphical element GE1, the second graphical elementGE2, a fifth graphical element GE5 and a sixth graphical element GE6.Thereby is also shown that the second graphical element GE2 is includedin two different configured process sequences, in this example becauseit has two sequence forward points which are both connected. As thegraphical elements represent logic templates, the two configured processsequences visualized graphically in the graphical user interface of FIG.21 represents a process structure similar to the one shown in FIG. 14 ,however with an additional logic template added to the end of eachconfigured process sequence.

FIG. 22 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing shows aprocess structure PS comprising five graphical elements GE1-GE5. Thefourth graphical element comprises two sequence forward points SFP; onesequence forward point SFP coupling the fourth graphical element GE4 tothe fifth graphical element GE5, and a sequence forward point SFPcoupling the fourth graphical element GE4 with the second graphicalelement GE2, such that a loop is created.

FIGS. 23-25 show embodiments of the invention. The drawings illustratehow a participant record PREC advances through a section of a processstructure PS, or a configured process sequence CPSEQ, comprising a firstconfigured logic template CLT1 and a second configured logic templateCLT2. The underlying methodology of advancing a participant record PREC,which is described in the following, is applicable to any configuredprocess sequence CPSEQ of any number of configured logic templates CLT.

In FIG. 23 the participant record PREC is processed by the executableprogram fragment EPF associated with the first configured logic templateCLT1, as described in more detail below, for example with reference toFIG. 28 . The processing of the participant record PREC includesselecting for the participant record PREC a sequence forward point SFPof the first configured logic template CLT1, as also shown in FIG. 24 .In this example, the first configured logic template CLT1 comprisesthree sequence forward points SFP, one of which couples to a sequencereceive point SRP of the second configured logic template CLT2. Theother two sequence forward points SFP of the first configured logictemplate CLT1 couples to sequence receive points SRP of other configuredlogic templates CLT not shown in the figure. By selecting for aparticipant record PREC a sequence forward point SFP is understood thatthe track history TH of the participant record PREC is updated with anew entry specifying the sequence forward point SFP. The updating of thetrack history TH is performed by the executable program fragment EPF,however, in another embodiment the updating of the track history TH isperformed by the processing engine ENG.

The participant record PREC is advanced through the process structure bythe processing engine ENG on the basis of the track history TH of theparticipant record PREC and the process structure PS. The processingengine ENG is arranged to interpret the process structure PS as well aslooking into the track history TH of a participant record PREC in orderto determine the next processing step of the participant record PREC. Inthis example, the processing engine ENG looks up in the track history THof the participant record PREC, and determines, on the basis of thelatest entry, that the participant record PREC has completed the firstconfigured logic template CLT1 and is ready for further processing. Thelatest entry specifies a specific sequence forward point SFP, and bylooking into the process structure, the processing engine ENG determinesthat the participant record PREC is ready to be processed by theexecutable program fragment associated with the second configured logictemplate CLT2 since the second configured logic template CLT2 is coupledto the first configured logic template CLT1 through the specificsequence forward point SFP. The processing of the participant recordPREC is then advanced to the second configured logic template CLT2 asshown in FIG. 25 .

As the processing of the participant record PREC advances through aconfigured process sequence CPSEQ the actual executed process sequenceEPSEQ continues to grow in length and thereby comprises more configuredlogic templates CLT that the participant record PREC has been processedby. Thus, different participant records PREC may be associated withdifferent executed process sequences EPSEQ since these participantrecords PREC have been handled differently throughout the processstructure PS of the campaign CAM. Thereby it is possible, even likely,for different participant records PREC to have undergone differentexecuted process sequences EPSEQ, also different participant recordsPREC pertaining to the same participant P.

In an embodiment of the invention, the processing of participant recordsPREC is queue-based. By queue-based it is understood that after aparticipant record PREC is processed by a configured logic template CLTit is associated with a sequence forward point SFP of that configuredlogic template CLT and the job of deciding which next configured logictemplate CLT, if any, to forward the participant record PREC to is putin a queue system. This allows for asynchronous processing ofparticipant records PREC.

FIG. 26 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing is a sequencediagram illustrating an example of the processing of participant recordsPREC pertaining to a participant P in accordance with a part of anexample process structure PS. The example process structure may forexample be the process structure illustrated in FIG. 16 , having twoconfigured process sequences CPSEQ1-CPSEQ2. The sequence diagram alsoshows an embodiment of creating two participant records PREC associatedwith the same participant P. The sequence diagram comprises sixtimelines, each from the viewpoint of either the processing engine ENGof the campaign management system CAMS, the participant P, or a first,second, third or fourth executable program fragment EPF1-EPF4 ofrespective configured logic templates CLT. The timelines are in thedirection of increasing time t. The horizontal arrows on the figureillustrates how the responsibility of processing/handling of participantrecords changes over time.

At first the first executable program fragment EPF1, which may forexample be part of an injection logic template MT as described below,and for example correspond to the first logic template CLT1 in theprocess structure of FIG. 16 , injects the participant P into thecampaign CAM by creation of a first participant record PREC1. Once theparticipant record PREC1 is created, the processing engine ENG istriggered, e.g. by a message on a queue, e.g. by fetching data from thequeue comprising the first participant record PREC1, to determine how toprocess the first participant record PREC1 further. The ENG figures outwhat sequence forward point SFP of the configured logic template CLT,comprising the first executable program fragment EPF1, was selected forthe first participant record PREC1. Furthermore, the processing engineENG interprets the process structure PS of the campaign CAM. In thisexample the configured logic template comprising the first executableprogram fragment EPF1 couples to another configured logic template, e.g.corresponding to the second configured logic template CLT2 of FIG. 16 ,comprising a second executable program fragment EPF2. The processingengine ENG determines that the next line of processing of the firstparticipant record PREC1 is to be carried out by the second executableprogram fragment EPF2, and hands over the processing to that executableprogram fragment, e.g. via a queue-based system, e.g. by exchanging thefirst participant record PREC1 via a queue.

The second configured logic template CLT2 may for example by of aninteraction logic template IALT category as described below, whereby thesecond executable program fragment EPF2 comprises instructions tointeract with the associated participant, in this case by forwarding anE-mail to the participant P. The E-mail includes hyperlinks for twochoices of options that the participant P may select between; option 1and option 2. Each of these options represents a local participantattribute LPA, as described in more detail below. In this example, theparticipant P chooses option 1 by clicking the relevant hyperlink, andthe response of the participant P is then handled according to thesecond executable program fragment SFP2. The result of the processingcarried out by the second executable program fragment EPF2 is that afirst sequence forward point SFP of the configured logic templatecomprising the second executable program fragment EPF2 is selected forthe first participant record PREC1, and handling is again handed over tothe processing engine, for example by placing a reference to the firstparticipant record on a processing queue.

Next, the processing engine ENG determines based on the sequence forwardpoint selected by the second executable program fragment EPF2 and basedon the process structure, e.g. as in FIG. 16 , that the firstparticipant record PREC1 is to be processed in accordance with a thirdconfigured logic template CLT3 comprising a third executable programfragment EPF3. In this example, the processing by the third executableprogram fragment EPF3 does not involve instructions to interact with theparticipant P. After execution, the responsibility of processing thefirst participant record PREC1 is returned to the processing engine ENG.

After some time, for example after several days or weeks, depending onthe kind of campaign, the participant P chooses to also select optionnumber 2 in the E-mail that was previously sent to the participant P, byclicking on the second hyperlink. As the E-mail was sent by the secondexecutable program fragment EPF2, the response by the participant P isreceived by that executable program fragment. According to theconfiguration of the second configured logic template CLT2 associatedwith the second executable program fragment EPF2, the selection of thesecond option is in this example allowable even though the sameparticipant P earlier selected the first option. As processing of thefirst participant record PREC1 has already continued, and even along adifferent configured process sequence based on selection of option 1,the second executable program fragment EPF2 is configured to create orrequest creation of a second participant record PREC2 associated withthe same participant P as the first participant record PREC1. In otherwords, the campaign management system forks the first participant recordPREC1 to allow the campaign management system to handle differentchoices by the same participant P. It is noted that even if theparticipant P had clicked the same first option hyperlink the secondtime, the campaign management system could, depending on configuration,have decided to also fork the participant record in that situation toallow pursuing the same configured process sequence a second time forthe same participant.

To proceed with reference to FIG. 26 , the choice of option 2 is storedin the track history TH of the second participant record PREC2 as adesignation of the corresponding local attribute LPA. As such, the firstparticipant record PREC1 and the newly created second participant recordPREC2 may diverge at least in the value of the local participantattribute LPA representing the choice of either option 1 or option 2.Other local participant attributes may be different or similar. Aftercreation of the second participant record PREC2, this is put on thequeue for the processing engine ENG, designating the selected secondsequence forward point of the second configured logic template CLT2.

The processing engine ENG determines based on the second sequenceforward point selected by the second executable program fragment EPF2and based on the process structure PS, e.g. as in FIG. 16 , that thesecond participant record PREC2 is to be processed in accordance with afourth configured logic template CLT4 comprising a fourth executableprogram fragment EPF4. In this example, the processing by the fourthexecutable program fragment EPF4 does not involve instructions tointeract with the participant P. After execution, the responsibility ofprocessing the second participant record PREC2 is returned to theprocessing engine ENG.

The example of processing of FIG. 26 , based on a process sequencesimilar to the example of FIG. 16 , illustrates how the processingengine for a particular participant record determines the nextexecutable program fragment based on the available configured processsequences in the process structure, and the specific sequence forwardpoint selected for that participant record in the previous processingstep. Further the example illustrates how an interaction logic templatemay be activated by a participant interaction even after processing withregard to that participant has already been handed on to the processingengine. It also illustrates how a participant record can be forked toallow the several equal or different processing sequences to be carriedout for the same participant.

The below copied code lines, Code snippet 1, from an embodiment of acampaign management system, includes a method for forking a participantrecord (in the terminology of this code snippet: creating a copy of theflow) and start processing (resumeFlow) on the basis thereof

Code Snippet 1—Participant Forking:

        - - - - - - - - - - - - Code snippet 1start - - - - - - - - - - - - - public class EngineService {  publicResumeFlowResult resumeFlow(     FlowBlockReference flowBlockReference,FlowThreadInput... inputs) {   assertNotNull(flowBlockReference,“flowBlockReference is required”);   final StoryConfigGid storyGid =flowBlockReference.getStoryGid( );   final FlowBlockId flowBlockId =flowBlockReference.getFlowBlockId( );   // load flow and verify that itis assigned to the requested story   // use separate transaction so thatrequired DB connection is   // released before the flow is resumed  final FlowDo flowDo = RunContexts.copyCurrent( ).call(( ) −>    BEANS.get(IFlowRepository.class).loadFlowByBlockId(flowBlockId));  if (flowDo == null) {    LOG.info(“Flow to be resumed does not exist[storyGid={ },       flowBlockId={ }]”, storyGid, flowBlockId);   return ResumeFlowResult.of (false);   }   assertEqual(storyGid,flowDo.getStoryGid( ),      “Flow does not belong to requested story[expectedStoryGid={ },     actualStoryGid={ }, flowBlockId={ }]”,storyGid, flowDo.getStoryGid( ),         flowBlockId);   // lookupstoryContextStore   final StoryContextStore store =getStoryContextStore(storyGid);   if (store == null) {   LOG.warn(“Story is not published [storyGid={ }, flowBlockId={ }]”,       storyGid, flowBlockId);    return ResumeFlowResult.of(false);   }  // lookup storyContext   final StoryContext storyContext;  FlowBlockDo flowBlock =      flowDo.flowBlocks().findFirst(FlowBlockDo::id, flowBlockId);   if (flowBlock.getSandboxId() != null) {    storyContext =     store.getDraftStory(flowBlock.getSandboxId( ).toStoryId( ));   }  else {    storyContext = store.getActiveStoryContext( );   }   if(storyContext == null) {    LOG.warn(“Story is not published [storyGid={}, sandboxId={ },     flowBlockId={ }]”, storyGid,flowBlock.getSandboxId( ), flowBlockId);    returnResumeFlowResult.of(false);   {   // execute flow   Flow flow = newFlow(flowDo);   FlowThread flowThread = flow.getFlowThread(flowBlockId);  flowThread.getInputs( ).put(FlowThreadInput.of(flowBlockReference));    // always provide reference to resumed flow block as flow threadinput   flowThread.getInputs( ).putAll(inputs);  storyContext.execute(flowThread);   return ResumeFlowResult.of(true,flowThread.getOutput( ));  } }         - - - - - - - - - - - - Codesnippet 1 end - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FIG. 27 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustrates aprocess structure PS comprising five configured logic templatesCLT1-CLT5. As a participant record PREC1 is being processed according tothe process structure, the processing of the participant record PREC1 isreflected in its track history TH1. In this sense the track history TH1shows correlations between time and participant locations PLOC in theprocess structure PS. When the participant record PREC1 is processed bya configured logic template CLT, a purpose of the processing is toselect for the participant record PREC1 a specific sequence forwardpoint of that configured logic template. Some configured logic templatesmay only comprise a single sequence forward point, and others maycomprise a plurality of sequence forward points. In this example, thethird configured logic template CLT3 comprises two sequence forwardpoints.

After being injected into the campaign CAM the participant record PREC1is updated by a first entry in its track history TH1. In this example,the first entry comprises a time stamp indicating the time at which theparticipant record PREC1 was processed by the first configured logictemplate CLT1 and what sequence forward point was selected for theparticipant record PREC1 at that time. After being processed by the nextconfigured logic template CLT2 the track history TH1 of the participantrecord PREC1 is modified by addition of a new entry indicating the timeat which processing by the second configured logic template CLT2 wasdone and what sequence forward point was selected as result of theprocessing. The third configured logic template CLT3 comprises twodifferent sequence forward points, and thus participant records that areprocessed by this configured logic template may not only differ in thetime stamps but also in the sequence forward point resulting from theprocessing. In this example the participant record PREC1 completed thestep at the time 14:36 with the processing resulting in the secondsequence forward point SFP2 being selected for participant record PREC1.Another participant record PREC2 having another track history TH2 hascompleted the step at another time, i.e. at 14:06, but for thisparticipant record PREC2 was instead selected, e.g. because ofparticipant interaction, the first sequence forward point SFP1 of thethird configured logic template CLT3.

The second participant record PREC2 in the present example may beassociated with a different participant P than the first participantrecord PREC1. The example may also describe a situation similar to theone described above with reference to FIG. 26 , where the secondparticipant record PREC2 was created by forking the first participantrecord PREC1. However, in the latter example, the track histories TH1and TH2 would then be identical with regard to the time and progressrelated to the first two configured logic templates CLT1-CLT2.

In other embodiments of the invention the track history TH of aparticipant record PREC further comprises information about the time atwhich a value of a local participant attribute LPA was changed.

In a preferred embodiment, the time field also includes the date, e.g.being a timestamp field. In other embodiments, the time field is omittedand only the sequence of the entries indicates the chronology ofexecution, or the time field is replaced with a serial number or otherreference to the individual entries which may or may not includeinformation about chronology.

The logic templates LT may be regarded as the building blocks availablein the campaign management system CAMS which when coupled togetherdefine a process structure PS of a campaign CAM. When put together,these building blocks define the logical structuring of the campaign CAMand thus how participant records PREC are to be processed. A logictemplate LT, as well as a configured logic template CLT, is present inthe campaign management system CAMS at different levels of abstraction.

FIG. 28 shows an embodiment of the invention. The figure illustrates aprocess structure PS as presented in a graphical user interface GUI. Theprocess structure comprises four graphical elements GE1-GE4 that arecoupled to one another through sequence forward points and sequencereceive points. Each graphical element GE1-GE4 is a graphicalrepresentation of a logic template LT1-LT4.

Each logic template LT1-LT4 also comprises user editable parameters UEPwhich may be regarded as the settings or parameters that may be adjustedfor the specific logic template LT in order to configure it. As such alogic template is a template pertaining to a specific logic operationwithin the campaign CAM and depending on how the user of the campaignmanagement system CAMS configures the user editable parameters UEP thelogic template LT may process participant records PREC differently. Whenthe user editable parameters UEP of a logic template LT is configured,the logic template may be referred to as a configured logic templateCLT.

Each of the logic templates LT represented by a graphical elementGE1-GE4 comprises a respective executable program fragment EPF1-EPF4.The executable program fragments are the machine-readable code thatprocesses participant records PREC when executed by the processingengine ENG of the campaign management system CAMS. The executableprogram fragment EPF takes as input arguments a participant record PREChaving a track history TH and one or more user editable parameters UEP,and outputs the same participant record PREC with a selection of asequence forward point of the logic template, and possibly with modifiedparticipant attributes.

In one embodiment of the invention the executable program fragment EPFupdates the track history TH of the participant record PREC afterprocessing of the participant record PREC.

In another embodiment of the invention the processing engine ENG of thecampaign management system CAMS updates the track history TH of theparticipant record PREC after the processing of the participant recordby the executable program fragment EPF.

FIG. 29-30 show embodiments of the invention. FIG. 29 illustrates aprocess structure PS comprising multiple logic templates LT of differentcategories: an injection logic template IJLT, an interaction logictemplate IALT, a decision logic template DELT and four data logictemplates DALT1-DALT4. The process structure PS represents a campaignCAM wherein customers of a web shop are injected into the campaign asparticipants P by the injection logic template IJLT which createsparticipant records PREC accordingly. According to the processstructure, the participants P by means of a landingpage generated by theinteraction logic template IALT are asked to indicate their level ofsatisfaction by filling out a form on a website which they areredirected to through the web shop. The participants may indicate theirlevel of satisfaction on a scale from 0 to 10 and may further writeadditional comments about their experience with the web shop. Theinteraction logic template IALT has by means of the configuration viauser editable parameters been provided with two sequence forward points;one is selected for participants who ahs visited the landingpage, andthe other is selected for participants who have filled in the form andsubmitted it. However, in the present process structure, the firstsequence forward point is not coupled to any subsequent logic template,and therefore nothing happens with respect to participants who have onlyvisited the landing page. This can, however, be changed later asdescribed for example with reference to FIG. 39 .

For the participant records associated with participants who submittedthe form, the second sequence forward point is selected, and processingcan continue to the decision logic template DELT. This category of logictemplates is arranged to select a sequence forward point based on data.In the present example, the decision logic template DELT is by its usereditable parameters UEP configured to, depending on the level ofsatisfaction by the customers, or participants, select a correspondingsequence forward point for different actions to be performed bysubsequent logic templates.

In the example, if a customer is really satisfied with the service, i.e.has indicated a satisfaction score of 9 or 10, the processing mayproceed to a second data logic template DALT2, which may perform theaction of registering the participant to receive a loyalty card. If onthe other hand a customer is not satisfied with their service, i.e. hasindicated a low satisfaction score ranging from 0 to 5 it may be thecase that the customer has further explained in a comment why his or hersatisfaction with the web shop service is low. If that is the case, thecomment may be stored in the corresponding participant record as a localparticipant attribute LPA. As a low satisfaction score has caused thesequence forward point connected to the first data logic template DALT1to be selected, the executable program fragment of that logic templatecarries out a text search on the comment and tries to identify specificwords that are most likely associated with an angry customer who needsto be handled by a service minded person. In that case, is selected thesequence forward point connected to a third data logic template DALT3,which may create a service ticket with the angry customer's contactinformation as well as his or her comment for customer care person inthe organization. If on the other hand, the first data logic templateDALT1 does not identify the specific words, the participant record is byselection of a second sequence forward point passed on to the fourthdata logic template DALT4 which may deal with the unsatisfied customerby storing a request for sending out e.g. a discount coupon for the webshop.

A user of the campaign management system CAMS, e.g. an employee of theweb shop, may configure the logic templates by editing user editableparameters UEP pertaining to the individual logic templates. FIG. 30illustrates a pop-up window in the graphical user interface GUI wherethe user can edit user editable parameters UEP. The window is specificto a single logic template of the process structure PS, and in this casethe user of the campaign management system has chosen to edit the usereditable parameters UEP of the decision logic template DELT of FIG. 29 ,by clicking on the graphical element of the decision logic template DELTin the graphical user interface GUI using a mouse cursor MC. Forexample, the user may decide to edit specific ranges of customersatisfaction values. In this example, the user has decided on threeranges of satisfaction values: 0 to 5, 6 to 8, and 9 to 10. The user hasthen decided to link these ranges to three respective sequence forwardpoints of the decision logic template DELT. The user has furtherconfigured a user editable parameter UEP relating to the time ofprocessing of participant records PREC, such that participant recordsPREC are immediately processed by the logic template when entering thelogic template through the sequence receive point of the logic template.

The above campaign CAM as described in FIG. 29 is an example of the useof participant attributes PA. The processing of a participant recordPREC by logic templates LT may comprise processing on the basis ofparticipant attributes PA; both global participant attributes GPA andlocal participant attributes LPA. In this example, a global participantattribute GPA may be contact information about the customer, e.g. anemail address, a telephone number and an address. These globalparticipant attributes GPA are retrieved externally from the campaignCAM, e.g. when the customer performed a first purchase or signed up to anewsletter by registering an account, and these global participantattributes GPA are used for communicating with the participant P throughthe second, third and fourth data logic templates DALT2-DALT4 of FIG. 29.

When the participant fills out the satisfaction form on the website byindicating level of satisfaction from 0 to 10 and by providing furthercomments, if any, local participant attributes LPA are generated by theparticipant. In this example, a local participant attribute can havedifferent data formats, i.e. an integer between 0 and 10, as well as astring of text. However, the local participant attributes are notnecessarily local to the individual logic template with reference towhich the local participant attribute was generated but can be usedthroughout the entire campaign. In this example, the local participantattributes LPA generated with reference to the interaction logictemplate IALT is used in the decision logic template DELT, wherebyparticipant records PREC are filtered depending on the integer value ofthe local participant attribute LPA pertaining to user satisfaction. Thelocal participant attributes LPA are further used by the first datalogic template DALT1 where the text string is analyzed for specificwords.

FIGS. 31-33 show embodiments of the invention. The drawing of FIG. 31shows a process structure PS of a campaign CAM directed towardsrewarding good customers, such as loyal customers who frequently buyproducts from a web shop. An injection logic template MT performs asearch in the company's customer database and creates participantrecords PREC for customers who have purchased for more than a certainamount of money in the previous year. These customers are then sent anE-mail once the associated participant records PREC are being processedby the first interaction logic template IALT1. The customers, orparticipants P, are given the choice between receiving a speaker or aselection of wines. In the context of the claimed invention, the choices“speaker” or “wine” are local participant attributes LPA, and theselocal participant attributes LPA are generated by the user of thecampaign management system CAMS as will also be described in relationwith FIG. 32 . The user of the campaign management system CAMS may onlyhave access to a limited number of speakers and the number of loyalcustomers could exceed this number, hence it would be appropriate tohave the campaign CAM handle this situation and ensure that no morespeakers are offered to customers than what is available. For thisreason, the user of the campaign management system CAMS may introduce acampaign attribute CA which is a counter on the number of speakers thathave been selected by the customers. From the onset of the campaign CAM,this campaign attribute CA pertaining to the number of selected speakersis set to zero, and if a participant P selects the speaker option in theE-mail, the corresponding participant record PREC is filtered by adecision logic template DELT which look up the value of the campaignattribute CA and checks whether the value is less than or equal to apredetermined number. In this campaign, there are 200 speakersavailable, so the decision logic template DELT checks whether thecampaign attribute CA, or accumulated number of speaker selections, isless than or equal to 200. If the argument is true, the number value ofthe campaign attribute CA is increased by 1, and the customerrepresented by the participant record PREC is sent an E-mail withinstructions on how to collect the speaker through the secondinteraction logic template IALT2. If a participant P, or customer,selects the wine option, that customer receives an E-mail withinstructions on how to collect the wine through the third interactionlogic template IALT3. In the event that a customer chooses the speakeroption and the 200 speakers are already given away, the argument of thedecision logic template DELT is false and the associated participantrecord PREC is directed to the third interaction logic template IALT3,where the customer receives an E-mail for the wine option.

Since the local participant attribute LPA for the gift options areaccessible by any logic template LT of the process structure PS, thecustomer's choice is stored within the campaign and can be utilized atany later time. When a participant record PREC comprising the localparticipant attribute LPA associated with the speaker option is directedfrom the decision logic template DELT to the third interaction logictemplate IALT3, the third interaction logic template IALT3 looks up thislocal participant attribute LPA and knows that the customer associatedwith the participant record PREC originally opted for the speaker optionwhich is no longer an option. Therefore, the E-mail which is sent to thecustomer through the third interaction logic template IALT3 may reflectthis choice by recognizing the customer's choice of speaker but informthe customer that the speakers are unfortunately no longer availableanymore and thus the customer will receive wine instead. The E-mailssent by the interaction logic templates IALT1-IALT3 are sent to theparticipants, or customers, using a global participant attribute GPA,e.g. an E-mail address, stored in the participant records PREC.

FIG. 32 illustrates the creation of local participant attributes LPA.The drawing shows a window as seen within the graphical user interfaceGUI. The window illustrates at least a part of the process ofconfiguring the first interaction logic template IALT1. A user of thecampaign management system CAMS is able to configure the E-mail contentof the E-mail sent out by the first interaction logic template IALT1,and through this configuring the user is able to define and name localparticipant attributes LPA, i.e. the speaker and wine options. In thissense the local participant attributes LPA may be used to conveyinformation to a participant P to the campaign CAM but at the same timealso to define a logical parameter to be used in the design andconfiguring of a process structure PS. This is seen for example in theprocess structure PS in FIG. 31 where the local participant attributesLPA are visible to the user of the campaign management system CAMS atthe sequence forward points SFP of the first interaction logic templateIALT1.

FIG. 33 illustrates various attributes comprised by a campaign CAM. Acampaign CAM comprises participant records PREC that include participantattributes PA in the form of both local participant attributes LPA andglobal participant attributes GPA. The campaign CAM further comprises acampaign record CAR which is a record, or data container, configured tostore and handle a campaign attribute CA. A local participant attributeLPA may come in different variants depending on the scope of theattribute. A local participant attribute LPA may be a template-specificlocal participant attribute TLPA which is an attribute that is definedand used only in relation with execution of an executable programfragment EPF of a single configured logic template CLT. A localparticipant attribute LPA may also be created by the user as acampaign-specific local participant attribute CLPA which is aparticipant attribute that is used throughout an entire campaign CAM. Asan example, the decision logic template DELT in FIG. 31 uses atrue/false statement in determining the further processing of aparticipant record PREC. The logical true/false statement of thedecision logic template DELT may be an example of a template-specificlocal participant attribute TLPA which is an attribute used only withinthe context of the decision logic template DELT and which does notconvey any meaning outside that context. On the other hand, theselection of either wine or speaker in the first interaction logictemplate IALT1 is a selection which is useful also outside the scope ofthe first interaction logic template IALT1, e.g. also in the thirdinteraction logic template IALT3. Thus, the local participant attributeLPA referring to the choice of wine or speaker may be regarded as acampaign-specific local participant attribute CLPA.

FIG. 34 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustrates awindow, e.g. a pop-up window, within the graphical user interface GUIthat is activated upon the user of the campaign management system CAMSclicking on a graphical element GE pertaining to a logic template LTwhich is to be configured. The window allows the user to define contentassociated with the given logic template LT, which in this case iscontent relating to an inquiry, where a participant P is asked toprovide a comment in a survey. The user of the campaign managementsystem CAMS may define the content, which in this example is content ofan E-mail. The defining of the content may include defining localparticipant attributes LPA to be used within the campaign CAM. The usercan select the type of local participant attribute from a number ofpredefined attributes types (PAT) and furthermore give the localparticipant attribute LPA a user-defined attribute name (UAN) which isthe name of the local participant attribute throughout the entirecampaign CAM, for convenient and intuitive reference by the user.

The campaign management system CAMS is in an embodiment configured tooperate in both a design mode and a live mode, and the system mayoperate in different modes at the same time. In the live mode theprocess structure PS of the campaign CAM comprises configured logictemplates CLT for the processing of participant records PREC.

In design mode the user of the campaign management system CAMS is ableto define a process structure PS by coupling logic templates to oneanother and configuring these logic templates by adjusting the usereditable parameters pertaining to these logic templates. The user doesthis in the graphical user interface GUI. Thereby the user definesconfigured process sequences CPSEQ which participant records PREC may beprocessed by reference to when the campaign is set to live mode.

When a process structure PS is properly defined, the user of thecampaign management system may choose to put the campaign into livemode. In live mode, the processing of participant records PREC occur,and participants P are able to actively engage with the campaign CAMthrough interactions such as clicking on links in emails sent by thecampaign management system CAMS, scanning QR-codes and being redirectedto a landing page, or by replying to text messages sent by the campaignmanagement system CAMS.

When a campaign CAM is set to live mode, the process structure PS of thelive campaign is still visible to the user of the system through thegraphical user interface GUI and this may be of great benefit to theuser, since the user may then track statistics of the campaign in thesame graphical view as the view in which he or she defined the campaign.This makes for an intuitive understanding of the performance of thecampaign.

As indicated, the campaign management system CAMS is in an embodimentconfigured to operate in both design mode and live mode at the sametime, which is illustrated schematically in FIGS. 35-37 .

FIG. 35 shows an embodiment of the invention. A campaign defined by alive mode version of the first process structure PS1LM is running inlive mode LMODE and the user of the campaign management system decidesthat the campaign needs minor adjustments. The user decides to pause thelive mode processing of the campaign by e.g. clicking a pause/resumebutton in the graphical user interface GUI and is then able to modifythe design mode version of the first process structure PS1DM which is anexact representation of the live mode version of the process structurePS1LM of the previous live campaign. After performing minor adjustmentsto the process structure in the graphical design environment GDENV ofthe graphical user interface GUI a modified design mode version of thefirst process structure PS1DM* is formed. The user then decides to putthis modified process structure PS1DM* into live mode LMODE by e.g.clicking the pause/resume button. The modified process structure is thenthe live mode version of the modified first process structure PS1LM*running in live mode LMODE. The process structure PS1DM* in design modeDMODE and the process structure PS1LM* in live mode LMODE are alsoreferred to as an updated process structure UPS.

FIG. 36 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention to the oneshown in FIG. 35 . Instead of pausing the live campaign CAM, the user ofthe campaign management system may modify the live campaign representedby the live mode version of the first process structure PS1LM in aparallel design mode DMODE. Thus, the process structure co-exists inlive mode as live mode version PS1LM as well as in design mode DMODE asdesign mode version of the first process structure PS1DM, and anychanges made to the design mode version of the first process structurePS1DM in design mode DMODE has no immediate influences on the livecampaign. As such the two modes are independent from one another. Thisgives the user of the campaign management system CAMS a tremendousflexibility when managing a campaign, because he or she may visualizenew ideas, try out modification on a graphical level and performadjustments to the campaign without affecting the participants which areinteracting or otherwise engaged with the live campaign. After modifyingthe design mode version of the first process structure PS1DM within thedesign mode DMOD a modified design mode version of the first processstructure PS1DM* is formed, and once the user of the campaign managementsystem CAMS believes that this process structure is the appropriatestructure for the future of the campaign, he or she may set the processstructure into live mode LMODE. Now the original live mode version ofthe first process structure PS1LM of the live campaign is replaced by alive mode version of the modified first process structure PS1LM*. Such areplacing of a process structure requires that the previous processstructure and the modified process structure are compatible as regardsto the configured process sequences that the participant records areprocessed by reference to. The design mode version of the modified firstprocess structure PS1DM* in design mode DMODE and the live mode versionof the modified first process structure PS1LM* in live mode LMODE arealso referred to as an updated process structure UPS.

FIG. 37 shows yet another embodiment of how to modify a live modeversion of a first process structure PS1LM of a live campaign. The userof the campaign management system CAMS chooses to modify the live modeversion of the first process structure PS1LM of the live campaign bymodifying it in the design mode DMODE in the form of the design modeversion of the first process structure PS1DM. While modifying the designmode version of the first process structure PS1DM, the live campaignstill makes use of the original live mode version of the first processstructure PS1LM by which participant records PREC are processed withreference to. The user applies severe modifications to the design modeversion of the first process structure PS1DM whereby a new andsubstantially modified version is created as a design mode version of asecond process structure PS2DM in the design mode DMODE. The design modeversion of the second process structure PS2DM is set to live LMODE as alive mode version of the second process structure PS2LM. Thesubstantially modified process structure PS2LM may be regarded as a new,second process structure version PSV2 over the original processstructure PS1LM regard as the first process structure version PSV1. Thedesign mode version of the second process structure PS2DM in design modeDMODE and the live mode version of the second process structure PS2LM inlive mode LMODE are also referred to as an updated process structureUPS.

Having two versions of a process structures PS operating in live modeLMODE simultaneously, e.g. as shown at the end of the timeline in FIG.37 , is advantageous because participant records PREC that are beingprocessed according to an old version of the process structure cancontinue to be processed according to this process structure, but newparticipant records PREC that are injected into the campaign CAM may beprocessed according to the updated process structure UPS. In this sensethe old version of the process structure PS is still operated in livemode LMODE in the sense that the participant records PREC are stillbeing processed, however new participant records PREC are not processedaccording to the old process structure PS anymore. In an embodiment,this may be accomplished by disabling the injection logic templates ofthe old version(s) of the process structure. This may also be referredto as sunset mode, although this term may have different meanings indifferent campaign systems. In an embodiment, each time an updatedprocess structure UPS is created, the older process structures PS areautomatically put in a special mode, also referred to as ‘sunset mode’,to avoid new participant injections being processed by old versions ofthe process structure, i.e. old versions of the campaign.

The below copied code lines, Code snippet 2, from an embodiment of adesign mode feature in a campaign management system, includes a classfor a design mode identifier (SandboxId) and method for the campaignmanagement system to set a campaign (story) to live mode (publish) whichis in design mode (draft/sandbox).

Code Snippet 2—Design Mode:

    - - - - - - - - - - - - Code snippet 2start - - - - - - - - - - - - - public final class SandboxId extendsAbstractUuId {  private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;  publicstatic SandboxId create( ) {   return new SandboxId(UUID.randomUUID( )); }  public static SandboxId of(UUID id) {   if (id == null) {    returnnull;   }   return new SandboxId(id);  }  public static SandboxIdof(StoryConfigId storyId) {   if (storyId == null) {    return null;   }  return new SandboxId(storyId.unwrap( ));  }  private SandboxId(UUIDid) {   super(id);  }  public StoryConfigId toStoryId( ) {   returnStoryConfigId.of(unwrap( ));  } } public class EngineService {  publicStoryContext      publishDraftStory(StoryConfigId draftRevisionStoryId){   return publishDraftStory(draftRevisionStoryId, true);  }  protectedStoryContext publishDraftStory(StoryConfigId      draftRevisionStoryId,boolean loadCurrentAnalyticsData) {   IStoryRepository repo =BEANS.get(IStoryRepository.class);   InternalStoryRevisionInfoDorevisionInfo =       repo.getStoryRevisionInfo(draftRevisionStoryId);  StoryRevisionsDo storyRevisions =    repo.loadAllRevisions(revisionInfo.getGid( ), draftRevisionStoryId);  return publishStory(storyRevisions, draftRevisionStoryId,       loadCurrentAnalyticsData);  } }     - - - - - - - - - - - - Codesnippet 2 end - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A campaign CAM may comprise a plurality of versions of a processstructures PS, also referred to as process structure versions PSV.Allowing for multiple versions of a process structure allows a campaignCAM to be continuously developed by a user of the campaign managementsystem CAMS. For example, the end goal of a campaign CAM may changeseveral times over the course of time, and these changes may bereflected in successive versions of the process structure PS.Furthermore, this allows for the campaign to never end, because aprocess structure can always be modified to include further logictemplates LT or configured logic templates CLT. Furthermore, the featureof process structure versions allows to activate a process structureinto live mode even at an early design stage where only the beginning ofthe process structure, or some of the campaign framework, has beendesigned and configured, because the feature of process structureversions allows for continuous implementation into the process structureof new additions to the campaign or desired modifications of alreadyimplemented sequences and configurations.

A campaign CAM may in an embodiment comprise multiple versions of aprocess structure PS, i.e. process structure versions PSV. FIGS. 38-39show embodiments of the invention where a process structure PS exists inmore than one version. The drawing of FIG. 38 illustrates a firstprocess structure version PSV1 comprising four configured logictemplates; an injection logic template IJLT, a decision logic templateDELT, a first interaction logic template IALT1 and a second interactionlogic template IALT2. The first process structure version PSV1represents a campaign CAM where a communication, either in the form ofE-mail or an SMS (Short Message Service) is sent to selectedparticipants P. Such a communication could be a newsletter, marketing orimportant information which the user of the campaign management systemCAMS needs to distribute to a selected number of participants. Thiscould be a campaign on new prices on a specific car or notificationabout an important firmware update or know issue with a product, and theuser of the campaign management system CAMS, a marketing associate at acar dealership, wants to target this campaign towards customers who havepreviously bought a car from the same car maker.

The user of the campaign management system CAMS sets up the campaign bydefining a process structure which injects the selected participants P,or customers, to the campaign as participant records PREC using aninjection logic template IJLT. The injection logic template IJLT isconfigured by the user of the campaign management system CAMS, byadjusting user editable parameters UEP of the injection logic templateIJLT, such that a search is performed in the dealerships customerdatabase for customers who have previously bought a car from thespecific car maker, and who have opted to be contacted, preferably byE-mail or SMS. The injection logic template IJLT has a single sequenceforward point SFP which is coupled to a sequence receive point SRP ofthe decision logic template, such that the customers or participants Pfulfilling the above criteria are filtered by the decision logictemplate DELT after being injected to the campaign. The decision logictemplate DELT in this example is configured to filter the participantsdepending on their preference of communication which is specified in aglobal participant attribute GPA. If a participant P has specified thathe/she preferably receives communication via E-mail, the participantrecord PREC associated with that participant P or customer is placed ona sequence forward point SFP coupled to the first interaction logictemplate IALT1, and likewise, if SMS is the preferred choice ofcommunication, the PREC is placed on a sequence forward point SFPcoupled to the second interaction logic template IALT2. The firstinteraction logic template IALT1 is configured to send an E-mail to thecustomer, by sending an email comprising user-defined content to anE-mail address which is defined as a global participant attribute GPA inthe participant record PREC which represents the customer. Similarly,the second interaction logic template IALT2 is configured to send an SMSwith user-defined content to a phone number which is defined as a globalparticipant attribute GPA in the participant record PREC.

In this manner, the campaign CAM defined by the process structure PScomprising the four logic templates, is capable of automaticallyretrieving customers from the customer database and send marketingmaterial or information to specific customers via their preferredcommunication channels.

The process structure PS of FIG. 38 represents a first version PSV1 of acampaign. At a later stage, during the campaign running in live mode,the user of the campaign management system CAMS, or marketing associate,may realize that E-mail addresses of some previous customers may be outof date because some of the E-mails sent have bounced due to the E-mailaddresses no longer being valid E-mail addresses. In order to make asecond attempt to provide the marketing or important information tothese customers, the marketing associate chooses to update the ongoingcampaign CAM by designing a second process structure version PSV2 of theprocess structure PS. FIG. 39 illustrates the second version PSV2 of theprocess structure PS. As seen, the user has now configured the firstinteraction logic template IALT1 to now include an additional sequenceforward point SFP which is selected for participant records associatedwith E-mails that have bounced. This sequence forward point is furtherin the second process structure version PSV2 coupled to the sequencereceive point SRP of the second interaction logic template IALT2, suchthat participants P for which the E-mails bounces now can proceed to theother communication path and receive an SMS instead.

The above described campaign with the two process structure versionsPSV1-PSV2 thereby allows participants who are injected into the secondprocess structure version PSV2, i.e. injected into the campaign afterthe second process structure version PSV2 was set to live mode, to behandled even if their E-mail is bounced. However, in an advantageousembodiment of the campaign management system, even participant who wereinjected early, before the second process structure version PSV2existed, and thereby are processed according to the first processstructure version PSV1 which do not facilitate any handling of bouncedE-mails, may be handled according to the improved, second processstructure version PSV2 by a feature referred to as migration ofprocessing between process structure versions.

The migration feature involves that the processing of a participantrecord PREC according to a first process structure version PSV1 may bemigrated to a second process structure version PSV2 if an appropriatecommon configured logic template exists. A common configured logictemplate is a configured logic template which exists on both the old andnew process structure version with more or less similar configuration sothat in particular the sequence forward points of the old version stillexists in the new version.

In the example of FIGS. 38-39 , all the configured logic templates IJLT,DELT, IALT1 and IALT2 may be considered common configured logictemplates CCLT, because not logic templates have been removed in thesecond process structure version PSV2 compared to the first processstructure version PSV1, and not sequence forward points SFP have beenremoved in the medication from the first to the second version. Thismeans that a participant record PREC that was injected at the injectionlogic template IJLT of the first process structure version PSV1 can haveits processing migrated to the second process structure version PSV2 atany step in the sequence, because all the logic templates of the secondversion are backwards compatible with the first version.

The migration feature is highly advantageous, as may be explained in oneaspect in relation to the specific example of FIGS. 38-39 and theproblem of bounced E-mails. Any participant record PREC which has beenprocessed according to the first process structure version PSV1, and forwhich the E-mail configured processing sequence was selected, but forwhich the E-mail has bounced, are in an advantageous embodiment stillsuspended at the first interaction logic template IALT1, because thefirst process structure version PSV1 has not sequence forward point SFPwhich matches their situation. According to this advantageousembodiment, such participant records are not ejected from theprocessing, but are simply suspended, because the advantageousembodiment allows for future medication of the process structure bymeans of the design mode and process structure version features, as wellas allows for migration of processing to a compatible logic template ofa newer process structure version. In the present example, this meansthat as soon as the second process structure version PSV2 is set to livemode, the processing engine ENG will discover that a number ofparticipant records PREC were suspended at the first interaction logictemplate IALT1 of the first process structure version PSV1 because itdid not have a sequence forward point to handle the situation of bouncedE-mails. However, as the new process structure version PSV2 offers sucha handling by means of the additional sequence forward point ‘Bounce’and the coupling to the second interaction logic template IALT2, theprocessing engine ENG will migrate the processing of all these suspendedparticipant records PREC to the second process structure version PSV2,and the associated participants P will receive an SMS with the marketingor important information, exactly as the later injected participants whowere never processed according to the first version.

FIG. 40-42 show embodiments of the invention. The drawings of thefigures illustrate three process structure versions PSV1-PSV3 relatingto the same campaign CAM. The process structure versions PSV1-PSV3 areconfigured over the course of the campaign CAM, with the first processstructure version PSV1 representing the first iteration of the processstructure and the third process structure version PSV3 representing thelatest iteration of the process structure. The first process structureversion PSV1 comprises six configured logic templates CLT1-CLT6 andrepresents a campaign operating in live mode LMODE such that participantrecords PREC are processed with reference to the process structure.During the campaign, a user of the campaign management system decides tomodify the process structure by creating a new version of the processstructure PSV2 in the design mode DMODE of the campaign managementsystem, such that the first process structure version PSV1 can operatein live mode LMODE meanwhile. Once the user is satisfied with themodifications, the second process structure version PSV2 is also set tolive mode LMODE such that both the first and second process structureversions PSV1-PSV2 are operating in live mode LMODE, with the firstprocess structure version PSV1 further operating in sunset mode suchthat no new participant records are being injected into the firstprocess structure version PSV1. The aim of the campaign managementsystem CAMS in this case is to make sure that participant records PRECare always processed with reference to the newest changes in the processstructure whenever possible. This switching, or migration, as describedabove, between process structure versions PSV are facilitated by theengine ENG of the campaign management system CAMS.

In order to migrate the processing of a participant record PREC, theengine ENG of the campaign management system considers the participantrecord PREC according to its track history TH. For example, the trackhistory TH of the participant record PREC may state that the participantrecord PREC was processed by the second configured logic template CLT2,and for the participant record was selected the sequence forward pointcoupled to the third configured logic template CLT3. The engine ENGtries to migrate the participant record PREC into the newest processstructure version where the third configured logic template CLT3 isavailable which in this example is only the first process structureversion PSV1. In other words, no configured logic template in the newerprocess structure version PSV2-PSV3 are compatible with the thirdconfigured logic template CLT3 to allow migration at that step. Now theparticipant record PREC is processed according to the third configuredlogic template CLT3 in the first process structure version PSV1 whichcould lead to further processing by the fifth CLT5 or sixth configuredlogic template CLT6. Assuming that the processing of the participantrecord by the third configured logic template CLT3 lead to the fifthconfigured logic template CLT5, the engine ENG identifies the newestprocess structure version where the fifth configured logic template CLT5is available, which at this point in time during the campaign is thesecond process structure version PSV2. The participant record is thenprocessed by the fifth configured logic template CLT5 in the secondprocess structure version PSV2. Furthermore, participant records thathave already been processed by the fourth configured logic template CLT4in the first process structure version PSV1 are automatically migratedto the eighth configured logic template CLT8 in the second processstructure version PSV2 since this represents a step of the newestpossible configured process sequence which that participant record maybe processed according to. In this sense, the participant records whichcompleted the fourth configured logic template CLT4 were suspended byvirtue of the design of the first process structure version PSV1 notpermitting any further processing, as also exemplified above withreference to FIGS. 38-39 . When the eight configured logic template CLT8was introduced by the second process structure version PSV2, a new pathin the campaign CAM was created for these suspended participant recordsPREC, and thus the processing could be resumed.

At a later time during the campaign, the user of the campaign managementsystem decides to update the process structure by deleting the eighthconfigured logic template CLT8. The new and updated process structureversion is set to live mode LMODE as the third process structure versionPSV3, as seen in FIG. 42 . At this point in time the campaign comprisesthree process structure versions that are all running in live modeLMODE. The ability of the campaign management system CAMS to operatemore than one version of a process structure in live mode LMODE isessential to the participants' experience of the campaign CAM. Byallowing different versions of a process structure to co-exist it ispossible to avoid having to eject participants from a campaign. As anexample, a participant who have completed the third configured logictemplate CLT3 and whose participant record PREC is being processed bythe sixth configured logic template CLT6, according to the first processstructure version PSV1, is not allowed to migrate to any newer processstructure version, since neither the second nor third process structureversions PSV2-PSV3 contains the sixth configured logic template CLT6,i.e. a common configured logic template CCLT does not exist. Instead ofejecting this participant from the campaign, the correspondingparticipant record PREC is kept in the first process structure versionPSV1. This has the advantage that the participant record PREC of thisparticipant may be migrated to a newer version in the future when or ifsuch a possibility is added. In this sense the process sequence that aparticipant record undergoes can never be predicted from the onset ofthe campaign. In other words, the journey of a participant through acampaign never ends because it is always possible to pick up aparticipant and process the corresponding participant record in futureversions of the process structure.

The participants who were being processed by the eighth configured logictemplate CLT8 of the second process structure version PSV2 will remainto stay in the second process structure version PSV2 since there existsno possibility of migrating this participant to a newer processstructure version due to a lack of a common configured logic templatewith a newer process structure version.

An advantageous aspect in an embodiment of the invention is that aparticipant is only injected into the newest process structure versionof a campaign. In this example, when the user of the campaign managementsystem set the second process structure version PSV2 into live modeLMODE, no further participants were injected into the first processstructure version PSV1 using the first configured logic template CLT1.Similarly, no further participants were introduced to the second processstructure version PSV2 once the user of the campaign management systemset the third process structure version PSV3 into live mode LMODE. Thisis also referred to as setting the first and second process structureversions PSV1-PSV2 into sunset mode when a newer, third processstructure version PSV3, is set to live mode.

From this example it is clear that a participant record PREC is neverlimited to processing according to only a single specific processstructure version PSV since a possibility of migrating the participantrecord PREC to a newer process structure version PSV may exist.

The below copied code lines, Code snippet 3, from an embodiment of amigration feature in a campaign management system, illustrates aninitialization for the processing engine to iterate through the sequenceforward points (outlets) of the logic templates (steps) of the processstructures (stories) to establish directly processable collections ofconfigurations including newest version of each element. For exampleelements, e.g. sequence forward points (outlets) or logic templates(steps), that only exists in older process structure versions(storyRevisionld) are by the methods archivedStepGids.add( ) andarchivedOutletGids.add( ) marked as archived so that they will only beapplied in connection with a participant record if it is processed inaccordance with an older version.

Code Snippet 3—Migration:

    - - - - - - - - - - - - Code snippet 3start - - - - - - - - - - - - - protected voidbuildStepContexts(List<StoryConfigDo> storyConfigs) {  / * *Implementation details * ====================== * * Multiple storyrevisions are merged during this initialization, so * that flows areexecuted by the latest revision available. The * configurations aretherefore traversed from the latest to the oldest * revision and onlyfor the latest step of a particular * StepConfigDo#gid a StepContextelement is created. Every older * stepConfigId of the same stepGid islinked to the very same * StepContext element. The same approach isapplied to outlets: the * latest targetStepContext of a particularoutletGid is used for all * revisions. The computational complexity forcreating the mappings * depend only on the story size and number ofrevisions. */ // 1. sort by revision (latest at the beginning, oldest atthe end; // the draft revision - if available - has no revision it is //considered the latest) Collections.sort(storyConfigs,comparing(StoryConfigDo::getRevision,     nullsLast(Comparator.naturalOrder( ))).reversed( )); // 2. iteratethrough the revisions and create a StepContext for every // stepGid notseen so far final Set<StepConfigGid> archivedStepGids = new HashSet<>(); final Set<OutletConfigGid> archivedOutletGids = new HashSet<>( ); for(StoryConfigDo story : storyConfigs) {  m_storyConfigs.add(story); final boolean archived = story.getStatus( ) == StoryStatus.ARCHIVE;  //a) first pass: collect stepContexts by stepConfigId  for (StepConfigDostep : story.getSteps( )) {  processStepRevision(step,archived,archivedStepGids,story.getId( ));  } // b) second pass: collect targetStepContexts by outletConfigId to  for(StepConfigDo step : story.getSteps( )) {   for (OutletConfigDo outlet :step.getOutlets( )) {    processOutletRevision(outlet, archived,archivedOutletGids);   }  }  // process story properties  if (!archived){   m_properties.addAll(story.getProperties( ));  } } // 2.c) add nullstep context for archived steps and outletsarchivedStepGids.forEach(stepGid −> m_stepContextsByGid.put(stepGid,      null)); archivedOutletGids.forEach(outletGid −>    m_targetStepContextsByOutletGid.put(outletGid, null)); // 3. collectdistinct, non-null step contexts m_stepContextsByGid.values( ).stream( )  .filter(Objects::nonNull)   .forEach(m_stepContexts::add); } protectedvoid processStepRevision(StepConfigDo step, boolean archived,   Set<StepConfigGid> archivedStepGids, StoryConfigId storyRevisionId) { m_stepGidByStepId.put(step.getId( ), step.getGid( ));  if(m_stepContextsByGid.containsKey(step.getGid( ))) {   return; } if(archived) {  // remember stepId/stepGid and check them within earlierearlier  // revision  archivedStepGids.add(step.getGid( )); } else { StepContext ctx = new StepContext(this,   STEPLETS.get(step.getStepTypeId( )), step, storyRevisionId); m_stepContextsByGid.put(step.getGid( ), ctx);  // remove unmapped stepsof newer archived revisions  archivedStepGids.remove(step.getGid( )); }} protected void processOutletRevision(OutletConfigDo outlet,    booleanarchived, Set<OutletConfigGid> archivedOutletGids) {m_outletGidByOutletId.put(outlet.getId( ), outlet.getGid( )); if(m_targetStepContextsByOutletGid.containsKey(outlet.getGid( ))) { return; } if (archived) {  // outlet does not exists in later revision−> remember outletGid  // and check them within earlier earlier revision archivedOutletGids.add(outlet.getGid( )); } else {  final StepConfigGidtargetStepGid =      getStepGid(outlet.getTargetStepId( ));  StepContexttargetStepContext =      m_stepContextsByGid.get(targetStepGid); m_targetStepContextsByOutletGid.put(outlet.getGid( ),targetStepContext);  // remove unmapped outlets of newer archivedrevisions  archivedOutletGids.remove(outlet.getGid( )); } }    - - - - - - - - - - - - Code snippet 3 end - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FIG. 43 shows an example of a campaign according to embodiments of theinvention. The overall goal of the example campaign is to have existingcustomers or new customers of a company to attend an event which will beheld by the company in three cities: Berlin, London and Paris.

The campaign is represented by a process structure PS where participantsenter through three different channels, implemented by injection logictemplates IJLT. A participant can be selected to participate in thecampaign if he or she is already an existing customer fulfilling somecriteria of a target group. A participant may also enter the campaign ifhe or she has completed purchases in the company web shop but is notregistered as a customer as such. Lastly, new participants may enter thecampaign by scanning a QR-code. The QR code may be in the form of asticker applied to easily visible surfaces, such as windows, located ina city. When a person scans the QR-code he or she is redirected to alanding page served by an interaction logic template IALT where theperson can create a profile by filling out details such as name, age andcontact information. After creating a profile, the campaign checks bymeans of a data logic template DALT whether or not that person isalready an existing customer, and if so, the person is directed straightto a landing page of another interaction logic template IALT where he orshe can register for an event. In the case where the person is notalready listed in any records maintained by the company, the person isautomatically registered in the company's customer database by anotherdata logic template DALT, and then directed to the same landing page forevent registration.

The persons that are members of the target group or from the web shop,and whose E-mail addresses are accessible will automatically receive anemail sent by an E-email interaction logic template IALT with a link tothe registration landing page. Within the campaign management systemCAMS, these persons, also referred to as participants, are representedby participant records PREC that may be processed according to theprocess structure PS.

At the landing page the participants are instructed to indicate whichevent city they intend to participate in: Berlin, London or Paris. Theirchoice of event city is stored by a data logic template DALT as a localparticipant attribute LPA within the campaign, and this attribute may beaccessed at any later time during the campaign. After filling in theirchoice of event city, the participants are redirected to an eventregistration confirmation landing page of another interaction logictemplate where their choice of event city is shown.

The campaign manager, or user of the campaign management system, haschosen for this campaign that the first five hundred participants whosign up for one of the events held in either Berlin, London or Pariswill receive a voucher for a free drink at the events, as controlled bya decision logic template DELT followed by a QR interaction logictemplate IALT.

Depending on the choice of event city, i.e. the local participantattribute evaluated by a decision logic template DELT, a participantreceives either an email ticket for the event in Berlin, London or Parisby the appropriate of three different interaction logic templates IALT,and if the participant was one of the first five hundred participants tosign up for the event the voucher is also included in the email ticket.

The execution of one or more configured logic templates CLT of acampaign CAM running in live mode LMODE may be suspended based onactions performed by the user of the campaign management system CAMS orparticipants P subjected to the campaign CAM.

FIG. 44 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustrateshow the execution of an executable program fragment EPF may be affectedby external actions. The execution of the executable program fragmentEPF of a configured logic template CLT may be suspended either by a useraction UACT or a participant action PACT. The user of the campaignmanagement system CAMS may perform a suspension command S-PAUSE, such asby pressing on a pause button in the graphical user interface GUI in thecampaign management system CAMS.

Performing a suspension command S-PAUSE is an example of auser-initiated suspension UIS of the executable program fragment EPF.Alternatively, the participant P may perform a participant action PACTwhich also suspends execution of the executable program fragment EPF. Anexample of a participant action PACT is a participant P not respondingto an E-mail whereby further processing of the participant record PRECis temporarily suspended until the participant performs the actionsneeded for the executable program fragment to further process theparticipant record PREC. Another example of a participant action PACTwhich suspends execution of an executable program fragment is when aparticipant performs an interaction with the campaign CAM which resultin the corresponding participant record PREC being placed on aconfigured logic template CLT which is not coupled to other configuredlogic templates. This naturally sets a limit on the processing of theparticipant record and further processing is in effect suspended untilfurther processing is made available by e.g. the user of the campaignmanagement system configuring a next configured logic template which mayprocess the participant record PREC further.

The user of the campaign management system CAMS may perform another useraction UACT which is performing a resume command R-PAUSE. The resumecommand R-PAUSE effectively abolishes the suspension of the one or moreexecutable program fragments EPF. The resume command R-PAUSE may beperformed by the user of the campaign management system pressing abutton in the graphical user interface GUI. The button for the resumecommand R-PAUSE may be the same button for the suspension commandS-PAUSE. The participant P may also resume the execution by performing aparticipant action PACT such as performing the necessary stepsassociated with a configured logic template, i.e. the steps that werepreviously not performed and thereby rendered the execution suspended.

FIG. 45 shows an embodiment of the invention. The drawing illustrates aprocess structure PS from the viewpoint of the graphical user interfaceGUI of the campaign management system CAMS. The user of the campaignmanagement system CAMS can perform the suspension command S-PAUSE and/orresume command R-PAUSE by clicking on a campaign graphical pause buttonCGPB which pauses or resumes the execution of all executable programfragments EPF of the three configured logic templates represented by thethree graphical elements GE1-GE3 in the graphical user interface GUI.The user may also press a template graphical pause button TGPB whichpauses or resumes the execution of an executable program fragment of asingle configured logic template. An advantage of being able to suspendexecution according to an individual logic template while the rest ofthe process structure is still executing may be to avoid sending outemails until a minor configuration issue has been solved, or suspendingparticipant records at a logic template prior to proceeding with therest of a proess sequence, for example to coordinate that allparticipant records resumes at manually decided time, for example ifawaiting external arrangements to be ready for the next processing. Thedrawing further shows that the campaign CAM is running in live modeLMODE, and by flicking a switch in the graphical user interface the usermay set the campaign into design mode DMODE.

The below copied code lines, Code snippet 4, from an embodiment of atest mode feature in a campaign management system, includes anenumeration definition for the live mode (execution type: auto) and testmode (execution type: manual). Further is provided method (SetStatus( ))for changing mode (status) of a process structure version betweendesign/test mode (DRAFT), live mode (LIVE), sunset mode (SUNSET) anddiscontinuation (ARCHIVE). Note that in this embodiment the mode cannotbe changed from live mode (LIVE) to design/test mode (DRAFT) becausethis is in fact requiring the creation of a new process structureversion, which then starts in design/test mode (DRAFT). This can be doneseamlessly by the system, without the user having to consider processstructure versions.

Code Snippet 4—Test Mode:

     - - - - - - - - - - - - Code snippet 4start - - - - - - - - - - - - - @EnumName(“studio.ExecutionType”) publicenum ExecutionType implements IEnum {  MANUAL(“manual”, ( ) −>TEXTS.get(“studio.ExecutionTypeManual”)),  AUTO(“auto”, ( ) −>TEXTS.get(“studio.ExecutionTypeAuto”));  private final Stringm_stringValue;  private final Supplier<String> m_textSupplier;  privateExecutionType(String stringValue, Supplier<String> textSupplier) {  m_stringValue = stringValue;   m_textSupplier = textSupplier;  } @Override  public String stringValue( ) {   return m_stringValue;  } @Override  public String text( ) {   return m_textSupplier.get( );  } }public class EngineService {  public void setStatus(StoryConfigIdstoryId,       SetStoryRevisionStatusDo storyRevisionStatus) {  StoryStatus status = assertNotNull(storyRevisionStatus).getStatus( );  switch (assertNotNull(status)) {    case LIVE:    case SUNSET:    caseARCHIVE:     break;    default:     fail(“Requested target status is notsupported [status={ }]”,          status);   }   IStoryRepositorystoryRepo = BEANS.get(IStoryRepository.class);   finalInternalStoryRevisionInfoDo revisionInfo =        RunContexts.copyCurrent( ).call(( ) −>       storyRepo.getStoryRevisionInfo(storyId));   if(revisionInfo.getStatus( ) == status) {    // story has alreadyrequested status    return;   }   if (revisionInfo.getStatus( ) ==DRAFT) {    assertEquals(status, LIVE,      “story with status ‘{ }’ canonly be changed to ‘{ }’”, DRAFT, LIVE);   }   else if(revisionInfo.getStatus( ) == LIVE) {   assertTrue(ObjectUtility.isOneOf(status, SUNSET, ARCHIVE),     “story with status ‘{ }’ can only be changed to ‘{ }’ or ‘{ }’”,        LIVE, SUNSET, ARCHIVE);   }   else if (revisionInfo.getStatus( )== SUNSET) {    assertEquals(status, ARCHIVE,      “story with status ‘{}’ can only be changed to ‘{ }’”, SUNSET, ARCHIVE);   }   else if(revisionInfo.getStatus( ) == ARCHIVE) {    assertEqual(status, SUNSET,     “story with status ‘{ }’ can only be changed to ‘{ }’”, ARCHIVE,SUNSET);   }   else {    fail(“unsupported current story status ‘{ }’”,        revisionInfo.getStatus( ));   }   if (revisionInfo.getStatus( )== DRAFT) {    // stop sandbox and remove its data   unpublishDraftStory(storyId);   BEANS.get(FlowService.class).removeFlows(        BEANS.get(RemoveFlowsQueryDo.class)     .withStoryGid(revisionInfo.getGid( ))     .withSandboxId(SandboxId.of(storyId)));   }  RunContexts.copyCurrent( ).run(( ) −> storyRepo.updateStatus(storyId,        storyRevisionStatus));   restartStory(revisionInfo.getGid( ),NOP_RUNNABLE);  } }      - - - - - - - - - - - - Code snippet 4end - - - - - - - - - - - - -

FIG. 46-49 show embodiments of the invention, based on the embodimentdescribed above with reference to FIG. 38 . The drawing of FIG. 46illustrates a process structure representing a campaign which searchesfor participants P in one or more databases using an injection logictemplate IJLT. The participant records PREC entering the processstructure are filtered according to their preferred channel ofcommunication using a decision logic template DELT. If a participant Phas selected E-mail as a preferred channel of communication, an E-mailis sent to the participant using a first interaction logic templateIALT1, whereas if SMS (Short Message Service) is selected as a preferredchannel of communication, an SMS is sent to the participant using asecond interaction logic template IALT2.

FIG. 46 illustrates further a live action view for the user to monitorthe processing of a process structure in live mode. By means of the liveaction view is indicated in the graphical user interface that at aspecific point in time 2176 participant records PREC have entered intothe process structure PS and are yet to be processed by the decisionlogic template DELT. Likewise, 329 participant records PREC have beenprocessed by the decision logic template DELT and are yet to beprocessed by the first interaction logic template IALT1. And likewise,114 participant records PREC have been processed by the decision logictemplate DELT and are yet to be processed by the second interactionlogic template IALT2. The number of participant records PREC who havebeen processed by the configured logic templates may be directly visibleto the user of the campaign management system CAMS through the graphicaluser interface GUI. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, anumbering of how many participant records PREC that are being processedby the configured logic templates may be directly visible to the user ofthe campaign management system CAMS through the graphical user interfaceGUI. In a yet alternative embodiment, a combined view of the number ofparticipant records PREC that are being processed by one or moreconfigured logic templates and the number of participant records PRECthat have been processed by one or more configured logic templates maybe directly visible to the user of the campaign management system CAMSthrough the graphical user interface GUI. The user of the campaignmanagement system CAM may also choose not to have any of such numbersvisible in the graphical user interface GUI.

FIG. 47 illustrates that at a later point in time the execution ofdecision logic template DELT has been paused, also referred to assuspended. By pausing the decision logic template DELT, thecorresponding executable program fragment EPF of the decision logictemplate DELT is no longer used in the processing of participant recordsPREC. As a result of this logic template-specific pausing, participantrecords PREC are suspended at the decision logic template, and thus anaccumulation of participant records PREC occurs at the decision logictemplate DELT. In other words, the paused decision logic template DELTbecomes a bottleneck for the processing of participant records PRECthrough the process structure PS. Since no participant records areprocessed by the paused decision logic template DELT, the number ofparticipant records in-between the paused decision logic template DELTand the first and second interaction logic templates IALT1-IALT2decreases, as the participant records are processed by these twoconfigured logic templates. At the specific later point in time,illustrated in FIG. 47 , the number of participant records PREC who haveprocessed by the decision logic template DELT and are yet to beprocessed by the first interaction logic template IALT1 is 124.Likewise, the number of participant records PREC who have been processedby the decision logic template DELT and who are yet to be processed bythe second interaction logic template IALT2 is 56. Both of these numberswill necessarily continue to decrease towards zero, as long as thedecision logic template is paused and as long as participant recordsPREC are processed by the first and second interaction logic templatesIALT1-IALT2.

The user of the campaign management system CAMS may choose to performthis logic template-specific pause for a number of reasons. One reasonmay be that the user realizes an error at a specific configured logictemplate CLT which result in a campaign CAM not working as intended.Thus, by pausing an individual configured logic template CLT, the userof the campaign management system CAMS may effectively limit theconsequences inflicted by this configured logic template CLT by notallowing further participant records PREC to be processed by thisconfigured logic template. The user of the campaign management systemCAMS may also choose to pause an individual configured logic templateCLT in order to configure the logic template even further to allowfurther options.

FIG. 48 shows the campaign CAM after the user of the campaign managementsystem has un-paused the decision logic template DELT. During thepausing, the user of the campaign management system CAMS has modifiedthe process structure PS to include a third interaction logic templateIALT3 used to contact participants P via postal service(s). Accordingly,the decision logic template DELT now features a new filtering criterionwhich filters participant records PREC based on the participantspreference of being contacted via postal service(s).

FIG. 49 shows an example of a process structure of a campaign CAM wherethe ability to pause an individual logic template is of great importanceto the performance of the campaign. The campaign is directed towardsinviting visitors, e.g. potential customers, on a website to participatein a lottery. The visitors, or participants, are directed to a lotterylanding page, where they are presented with information about thelottery. For example, the participant may have a chance of winning aprice by subscribing to e.g. a newsletter using an email address. Aprice may only be given to a particular number of participants, i.e. 10randomly selected participants. However, the decision to choose which 10random participants are given a price can only be done at a certain timewhen many more than 10 participants have registered. For this reason,the user of the campaign management system CAMS may decide already fromthe onset of the campaign going live to manually pause the logictemplate which performs the random selection of participants. Once anadequate number of participants have registered for the lottery, theuser of the campaign management system CAMS may choose to un-pause thelogic template and 10 participants are selected at random and sent anemail about their lottery price.

The campaign management system CAMS may also comprise a mode ofoperation in which the user of the campaign management system CAMS isable to test the performance of a process structure, or indeed anyprocess structure version PSV. This mode of operation is referred to astest mode TMODE. In a preferred embodiment, all participant interactionis disabled in test mode TMODE.

FIGS. 50-53 show embodiments of the invention. The drawing of FIG. 50illustrates a first process structure version PSV1 of a campaign CAMrunning in live mode LMODE. The first process structure version PSV1comprises five configured logic templates CLT1-CLT5. At a given point intime TIME a participant record PREC is at a participant location PLOC inthe first process structure version PSV1. The participant location PLOCdefines the point along the line of processing as defined by theconfigure logic templates, at which the participant record hasprogressed to, and this is retrievable from the track history of theparticipant record. At this point in time TIME the content of theparticipant record PREC represents a current state CSTA of theparticipant record PREC.

FIG. 51 illustrates the same first process structure version PSV1 at alater point in time TIME at which the participant location PLOC isadvanced along a configured process sequence CPSEQ of the processstructure version PSV1. At this point in time TIME the current stateCSTA of the participant record PREC reflects the updates in the trackhistory TH, and changes in participant attributes PA, if any, thatoccurred when progressing the participant record PREC from theparticipant location PLOC in FIG. 50 to the participant location PLOC inFIG. 51 , i.e. when the participant record PREC was progressed from thefirst configured logic template CLT1 to the second configured logictemplate CLT2. The user of the campaign management system CAMS maydecide that the campaign CAM, as represented by the first processstructure version PSV1, needs modification by including additionalconfigured logic templates. The user may create a second processstructure version PSV2, preferably within the design mode DMODE, whichincludes a sixth configured logic template CLT6 and seventh configuredlogic template CLT7. However, before operating the second processstructure version PSV2 in live mode LMODE, the user decides to test thesecond process structure version PSV2 in test mode TMODE, see FIG. 52 .

When testing a process structure PS, or process structure version PSV,in test mode TMODE, the testing is performed on any number of testparticipant records TPREC, which are records that include similarfeatures and functions as participant records PREC but are only usablewithin the test mode TMODE. A test participant record TPREC may bepurely hypothetical, i.e., the test participant record TPREC is notassociated with any real participant P and thus has only been created bythe user of the campaign management system CAMS for testing of thecampaign CAM. A test participant record TPREC may advantageously also atleast partly be based on a participant record PREC which have undergonea processing and is associated with a participant P. In an embodiment ofthe invention, the test mode TMODE comprises any number of testparticipant records TPREC, each of which may be purely hypothetical orbased at least partly on participant records PREC that have alreadyundergone processing. FIG. 52 illustrates a test participant recordTPREC which is under processing by, or have just been processed by, thesecond configured logic template CLT2 in test mode TMODE. The testparticipant record may reflect a current state CSTA of a participantrecord PREC which have already undergone a processing by one or moreconfigured logic templates of a process structure, or process structureversion, which have operated in live mode LMODE. In the current example,a participant record PREC which at a given time TIME was at theparticipant location PLOC, at the second configured logic template CLT2in the first process structure version PSV1 of FIG. 51 , may be used fortesting in the updated second process structure version PSV2 in testmode TMODE, as shown in FIG. 52 . The current state CSTA of theparticipant record at that given time TIME may be reflected in the testparticipant record TPREC, by e.g. cloning the data contained in theparticipant record PREC. This means that the test participant recordTPREC in FIG. 52 may actually comprise, at the time of its creation, thereal data obtained from the processing of the participant record PREC inlive mode LMODE. When operating in test mode TMODE using a testparticipant record TPREC based on real data obtained during a livecampaign, the further processing of the test participant record TPREC,by the newly added configured logic templates CLT6-CLT7, is preferablynot based on participant input P-INPUT from the participant P, andtherefore the progression of the test participant record TPREC is anemulated progression. Alternatively, the test participant recordreflects an emulated state ESTA, which refers to the entire testparticipant record TPREC being emulated by the campaign managementsystem CAMS, i.e. the record is associated with an entirely hypotheticalparticipant. FIG. 53 illustrates a cloning of a participant record PRECinto a test participant record TPREC. The cloning may comprise copyingany data, such as track history TH and participant attributes PA fromthe participant record PREC into the test participant record TPREC.

The result of activating test mode TMODE is that the user of thecampaign management system CAMS may test how a possible new processstructure version, or an already existing process structure version,works for any number of test participant records TPREC. Being able toperform testing using test participant records TPREC based on actualparticipant records PREC that have already undergone processing isparticular advantageous in that the testing/simulation becomes highlyrelevant since the test participant records TPREC then represents actualparticipants P rather than hypothetical persons created by the user ofthe campaign management system CAMS. Of course, being able to createtest participant records TPREC associated with hypothetical participantsand characterized by having an emulated state ESTA at creation isadvantageous in that it becomes possible to perform testing of acampaign CAM using many more test participant records TPREC thanparticipant records PREC present in the campaign CAM.

In FIG. 52 the test participant records TPREC are processed according tothe second process structure version PSV2, however if for example theprocess structure comprises interaction logic templates, which wouldnormally require participant input P-INPUT when operating in live modeLMODE, such participant input P-INPUT can of course not be provided bythe participant P. In an embodiment of the invention, the participantinput P-INPUT required for the processing of one or more testparticipant records TPREC in test mode TMODE may be provided by emulatedinputs by the campaign management system CAMS itself. The emulatedinputs may be based on random selection between the available optionsfor interaction, or be intelligently controlled to test all availablevariants of input, or be randomized with a bias towards expected inputsfrom a more or less known target group of participants. In anotherembodiment of the invention, the participant input P-INPUT required forthe processing of one or more test participant records TPREC in testmode TMODE may be provided by the user of the campaign management systemCAMS. In an alternative embodiment of the invention the participantinput P-INPUT required for the processing of one or more testparticipant records TPREC in test mode TMODE may be provided by bothinputs from the user and emulated inputs from the campaign managementsystem CAMS itself.

In an embodiment of the invention, the test mode TMODE is executedwithin the design mode DMODE of the campaign management system CAMS. Inthis manner the user of the campaign management system is able to bothmodify and test a process structure PS directly within the design modeDMODE. This results in an advantageous user experience where a user ofthe campaign management system CAMS can quickly test the changes made toa process structure PS and confirm whether these changes results in acampaign performing as intended.

The test mode TMODE also allows for generating statistics on the futuredevelopment of the campaign CAM which may come in handy when assessingwhether or not the process structure PS is configured as it should. Forexample, the test mode TMODE may inject any number of test participantrecords TPREC, such as 10,000 test participant records TPREC, into aprocess structure PS operating in test mode TMODE, and the processing ofthese test participant records TPREC reflects a bias such that forexample the vast majority are processed according to a specificconfigured process sequence CPSEQ when it was expected that theprocessing of these test participant records TPREC were to bedistributed more homogeneous among a greater number of configuredprocess sequences CPSEQ. By identifying such dominant configured processsequences CPSEQ, it becomes possible to identify which configured logictemplates CLT may comprise user editable parameters UEP that are notproperly set up. As an example, a user of the campaign management systemCAMS may realize that ranges of a value of a specific local participantattribute LPA have not been properly set up, such that almost any choiceof value results in the test participant record TPREC being processedaccording to a specific configured process sequence CPSEQ. Identifyingsuch errors in a campaign is highly advantageous before setting aprocess structure PS into live mode LMODE where the consequences wouldbe that a large number of participant records PREC are processedwrongly.

FIG. 54 shows an example computer architecture for a computer system500, also referred to as computer system COM, capable of executingexecutable program fragments EPF for processing of participant recordsPREC as described in the above. The computer 500 is thus capable ofperforming the acts associated with the processing engine ENG. Thecomputer architecture shown in FIG. 54 illustrates a conventional servercomputer, workstation, desktop computer, laptop, tablet, networkappliance, digital cellular phone, smart watch, or other computingdevice, and may be utilized to execute any of the software components,e.g. executable program fragments EPF, presented herein. The computerarchitecture shown in FIG. 54 might also be utilized to implement acomputing device, or any other of the computing systems describedherein.

The computer 500 includes a baseboard 501, or “motherboard,” which is aprinted circuit board to which a multitude of components or devices maybe connected by way of a system bus or other electrical communicationpaths. In one illustrative example, one or more central processing units(“CPUs”) 503 operate in conjunction with a chipset 502. The CPUs 503 maybe standard programmable processors that perform arithmetic and logicaloperations necessary for the operation of the computer 500.

The CPUs 503 perform operations by transitioning from one discrete,physical state to the next through the manipulation of switchingelements that differentiate between and change these states. Switchingelements may generally include electronic circuits that maintain one oftwo binary states, such as flip-flops and electronic circuits thatprovide an output state based on the logical combination of the statesof one or more other switching elements, such as logic gates. Thesebasic switching elements may be combined to create more complex logiccircuits, including registers, adders-subtractors, arithmetic logicunits, floating-point units and the like.

The chipset 502 provides an interface between the CPUs 503 and theremainder of the components and devices on the baseboard 501. Thechipset 502 may provide an interface to a RAM 504, used as the mainmemory in the computer 500. The chipset 502 may further provide aninterface to a computer-readable storage medium such as a read-onlymemory (“ROM”) 505 or non-volatile RAM (“NVRAM”) for storing basicroutines that help to start up the computer 500 and to transferinformation between the various components and devices. The ROM 505 orNVRAM may also store other software components necessary for theoperation of the computer 500 in accordance with the examples describedherein.

The computer 500 may operate in a networked environment using logicalconnections to remote computing devices and computer systems through anetwork, such as the network 509. The chipset 502 may includefunctionality for providing network connectivity through a networkinterface controller (“NIC”) 507, such as a mobile cellular networkadapter, Wi-Fi network adapter or gigabit Ethernet adapter. The networkinterface controller 507 is capable of connecting the computer 500 toother computing devices over the network 509. It should be appreciatedthat multiple network interface controllers 507 may be present in thecomputer 500, connecting the computer to other types of networks andremote computer systems.

The computer 500 may be connected to a mass storage device 510 thatprovides non-volatile storage for the computer. The mass storage device510 may store system programs, application programs, other programmodules and data, which have been described in greater detail herein.The mass storage device 510 may be connected to the computer 500 througha storage controller 506 connected to the chipset 502. The mass storagedevice 510 may consist of one or more physical storage units. Thestorage controller 506 may interface with the physical storage unitsthrough a serial attached SCSI (“SAS”) interface, a serial advancedtechnology attachment (“SATA”) interface, a fiber channel (“FC”)interface, or other type of interface for physically connecting andtransferring data between computers and physical storage units.

The computer 500 may store data on the mass storage device 510 bytransforming the physical state of the physical storage units to reflectthe information being stored. The specific transformation of physicalstate may depend on various factors, in different implementations ofthis description. Examples of such factors may include, but are notlimited to, the technology used to implement the physical storage units,whether the mass storage device 510 is characterized as primary orsecondary storage and the like.

For example, the computer 500 may store information to the mass storagedevice 510 by issuing instructions through the storage controller 506 toalter the magnetic characteristics of a particular location within amagnetic disk drive unit, the reflective or refractive characteristicsof a particular location in an optical storage unit, or the electricalcharacteristics of a particular capacitor, transistor, or other discretecomponent in a solid-state storage unit. Other transformations ofphysical media are possible without departing from the scope and spiritof the present description, with the foregoing examples provided only tofacilitate this description. The computer 500 may further readinformation from the mass storage device 510 by detecting the physicalstates or characteristics of one or more particular locations within thephysical storage units.

In addition to the mass storage device 510 described above, the computer500 may have access to other computer-readable storage media to storeand retrieve information, such as program modules, data structures, orother data. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatcomputer-readable storage media is any available media that provides forthe non-transitory storage of data and that may be accessed by thecomputer 500.

By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable storage mediamay include volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable mediaimplemented in any method or technology. Computer-readable storage mediaincludes optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magneticdisk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium thatcan be used to store the desired information in a non-transitoryfashion.

The mass storage device 501 may store an operating system 511 utilizedto control the operation of the computer 500. The mass storage device510 may store other system or application programs and data utilized bythe computer 500. The mass storage device 510 might also store otherprograms and data not specifically identified herein.

In one example, the mass storage device 510 or other computer-readablestorage media is encoded with computer-executable instructions which mayalso be referred to as the executable program fragments EPF and theprocessing engine ENG that, when loaded into the computer 500, create aspecial-purpose computer capable of implementing the examples describedherein. These computer-executable instructions transform the computer500 by specifying how the CPUs 503 transition between states, asdescribed above. According to one example, the computer 500 has accessto computer-readable storage media storing computer-executableinstructions which, when executed by the computer 500, perform thevarious routines described above with regard to FIGS. 1-53 . Thecomputer 500 might also include computer-readable storage media forperforming any of the other computer-implemented operations describedherein.

The computer 500 may also include one or more input/output controllers508 for receiving and processing input from a number of input devices,such as a keyboard, a mouse, a touchpad, a touch screen, an electronicstylus, or other type of input device. Similarly, the input/outputcontroller 508 may provide output to a display, such as a computermonitor, a flat-panel display, a digital projector, a printer, aplotter, or other type of output device. It will be appreciated that thecomputer 500 may not include all of the components shown in FIG. 54 ,may include other components that are not explicitly shown in FIG. 54 ,or may utilize an architecture completely different than that shown inFIG. 54 .

Besides the already above described embodiments of the invention,further embodiments are described below.

A first further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system of this embodimentalso applies global and local participant attributes GPA, LPA asdescribed in FIGS. 9, 10 and FIGS. 31-34 . The campaign managementsystem applies and refers to a graphically illustrated process structurePS as described in FIGS. 12-19 . The graphical representation of theprocess structure is also applied as a technical means/user interfaceavailable for the user when programming of the campaigns in question.This embodiment further includes the application of a track history THaccording to FIG. 27 applied and used for many purposes in relation tothe participant records PRECs processed by the system.

The campaign management system of the embodiment also includes andbenefits from an easy configuration of logic templates according toFIGS. 20-22 and where user editable parameters UEP may be easilyconfigured by a user as explained in FIGS. 28-30 .

The campaign management system of the embodiment also includes andbenefits from different modes, including a so-called live mode and adesign mode applied for execution and designing, respectively, of thecampaign in question. The live mode and design mode are explained infurther details in FIGS. 35-37 .

The campaign management system of the embodiment also includes andbenefits from a migration option available for the user when updatingversions of the process structure of campaigns. The migration featureelegantly facilitates migration of participant records “in progress”from one version to another without need for a complete finalization ofthe campaign, a re-entry of participant records, and unnecessaryejection of participant records still in progress in the campaign. Themigration features are explained in further details in FIGS. 38-42 .

The campaign management system of the embodiment also includes andbenefits from a suspension option or mode where a user, and in someparticular embodiments the participant, may invoke a suspension of theexecution of the campaign. The embodiment provides for a resumption ofthe execution of the campaign on the basis of the participant recordsand their respective participant locations. The suspension feature isexplained in FIGS. 44-49 .

The campaign management system of the embodiment also includes andbenefits from also features a so-called sandbox mode, a test mode, wherea user may perform very advanced tests of a campaign draft withoutcommunication with real participants, but in an advanced version stillrun the campaign as if a certain degree of interaction are occurring.This is explained in FIGS. 50-53 .

A second further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system applies and refersto a graphically illustrated process structure PS as described in FIGS.12-19 . The graphical representation of the process structure is alsoapplied as a technical means/user interface available for the user whenprogramming of the campaigns in question.

A third further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system of this embodimentalso applies global and local participant attributes GPA, LPA asdescribed in FIGS. 9, 10 and FIGS. 31-34 . The campaign managementsystem applies and refers to a graphically illustrated process structurePS as described in FIGS. 12-19 . The graphical representation of theprocess structure is also applied as a technical means/user interfaceavailable for the user when programming of the campaigns in question.

A fourth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . This embodiment further includes the applicationof a track history TH according to FIG. 27 applied and used for manypurposes in relation to the participant records PRECs processed by thesystem.

A fifth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The campaign management system applies andrefers to a graphically illustrated process structure PS as described inFIGS. 12-19 . The graphical representation of the process structure isalso applied as a technical means/user interface available for the userwhen programming of the campaigns in question. The campaign managementsystem of the embodiment also includes and benefits from an easyconfiguration of logic templates according to FIGS. 20-22 and where usereditable parameters UEP may be easily configured by a user as explainedin FIGS. 28-30 .

A sixth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system applies and refersto a graphically illustrated process structure PS as described in FIGS.12-19 . The graphical representation of the process structure is alsoapplied as a technical means/user interface available for the user whenprogramming of the campaigns in question. The campaign management systemof the embodiment also includes and benefits from different modes,including a so-called live mode and a design mode applied for executionand designing, respectively, of the campaign in question. The live modeand design mode are explained in further details in FIGS. 35-37 .

A seventh further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system applies and refersto a graphically illustrated process structure PS as described in FIGS.12-19 . The graphical representation of the process structure is alsoapplied as a technical means/user interface available for the user whenprogramming of the campaigns in question. The campaign management systemof the embodiment also includes and benefits from different modes,including a so-called live mode and a design mode applied for executionand designing, respectively, of the campaign in question. The live modeand design mode are explained in further details in FIGS. 35-37 . Thecampaign management system of the embodiment also includes and benefitsfrom also features a so-called sandbox mode, a test mode, where a usermay perform very advanced tests of a campaign draft withoutcommunication with real participants, but in an advanced version stillrun the campaign as if a certain degree of interaction are occurring.This is explained in FIGS. 50-53 .

An eighth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system applies and refersto a graphically illustrated process structure PS as described in FIGS.12-19 . The graphical representation of the process structure is alsoapplied as a technical means/user interface available for the user whenprogramming of the campaigns in question. The campaign management systemof the embodiment also includes and benefits from different modes,including a so-called live mode and a design mode applied for executionand designing, respectively, of the campaign in question. The live modeand design mode are explained in further details in FIGS. 35-37 . Thecampaign management system of the embodiment also includes and benefitsfrom a suspension option or mode where a user, and in some particularembodiments the participant, may invoke a suspension of the execution ofthe campaign. The embodiment provides for a resumption of the executionof the campaign on the basis of the participant records and theirrespective participant locations. The suspension feature is explained inFIGS. 44-49 .

A ninth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system applies and refersto a graphically illustrated process structure PS as described in FIGS.12-19 . The graphical representation of the process structure is alsoapplied as a technical means/user interface available for the user whenprogramming of the campaigns in question. The campaign management systemof the embodiment also includes and benefits from different modes,including a so-called live mode and a design mode applied for executionand designing, respectively, of the campaign in question. The live modeand design mode are explained in further details in FIGS. 35-37 . Thecampaign management system of the embodiment also includes and benefitsfrom a migration option available for the user when updating versions ofthe process structure of campaigns. The migration feature elegantlyfacilitates migration of participant records “in progress” from oneversion to another without need for a complete finalization of thecampaign, a re-entry of participant records, unnecessary ejection ofparticipant records still in progress in the campaign. The migrationfeatures are explained in further details in FIGS. 38-42 .

A tenth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system applies and refersto a graphically illustrated process structure PS as described in FIGS.12-19 . The graphical representation of the process structure is alsoapplied as a technical means/user interface available for the user whenprogramming of the campaigns in question. The campaign management systemof the embodiment also includes and benefits from different modes,including a so-called live mode and a design mode applied for executionand designing, respectively, of the campaign in question. The live modeand design mode are explained in further details in FIGS. 35-37 . Thecampaign management system of the embodiment also includes and benefitsfrom a migration option available for the user when updating versions ofthe process structure of campaigns. The migration feature elegantlyfacilitates migration of participant records “in progress” from oneversion to another without need for a complete finalization of thecampaign, a re-entry of participant records, unnecessary ejection ofparticipant records still in progress in the campaign. The migrationfeatures are explained in further details in FIGS. 38-42 . The campaignmanagement system of the embodiment also includes and benefits from asuspension option or mode where a user, and in some particularembodiments the participant, may invoke a suspension of the execution ofthe campaign. The embodiment provides for a resumption of the executionof the campaign on the basis of the participant records and theirrespective participant locations. The suspension feature is explained inFIGS. 44-49 . The campaign management system of the embodiment alsoincludes and benefits from also features a so-called sandbox mode, atest mode, where a user may perform very advanced tests of a campaigndraft without communication with real participants, but in an advancedversion still run the campaign as if a certain degree of interaction areoccurring. This is explained in FIGS. 50-53 .

An eleventh further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system applies and refersto a graphically illustrated process structure PS as described in FIGS.12-19 . The graphical representation of the process structure is alsoapplied as a technical means/user interface available for the user whenprogramming of the campaigns in question. The campaign management systemof the embodiment also includes and benefits from a migration optionavailable for the user when updating versions of the process structureof campaigns. The migration feature elegantly facilitates migration ofparticipant records “in progress” from one version to another withoutneed for a complete finalization of the campaign, a re-entry ofparticipant records, unnecessary ejection of participant records stillin progress in the campaign. The migration features are explained infurther details in FIGS. 38-42 .

A twelfth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system applies and refersto a graphically illustrated process structure PS as described in FIGS.12-19 . The graphical representation of the process structure is alsoapplied as a technical means/user interface available for the user whenprogramming of the campaigns in question. The campaign management systemof the embodiment also includes and benefits from a suspension option ormode where a user, a in some particular embodiments the participant, mayinvoke a suspension of the execution of the campaign. The embodimentprovides for a resumption of the execution of the campaign on the basisof the participant records and their respective participant locations.The suspension feature is explained in FIGS. 44-49 .

A thirteenth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system applies and refersto a graphically illustrated process structure PS as described in FIGS.12-19 . The graphical representation of the process structure is alsoapplied as a technical means/user interface available for the user whenprogramming of the campaigns in question. The campaign management systemof the embodiment also includes and benefits from also features aso-called sandbox mode, a test mode, where a user may perform veryadvanced tests of a campaign draft without communication with realparticipants, but in an advanced version still run the campaign as if acertain degree of interaction are occurring. This is explained in FIGS.50-53 .

A fourteenth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system of this embodimentalso applies global and local participant attributes GPA, LPA asdescribed in FIGS. 9, 10 and FIGS. 31-34 . The campaign managementsystem applies and refers to a graphically illustrated process structurePS as described in FIGS. 12-19 . The graphical representation of theprocess structure is also applied as a technical means/user interfaceavailable for the user when programming of the campaigns in question.The campaign management system of the embodiment also includes andbenefits from an easy configuration of logic templates according toFIGS. 20-22 and where user editable parameters UEP may be easilyconfigured by a user as explained in FIGS. 28-30 .

A fifteenth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system applies and refersto a graphically illustrated process structure PS as described in FIG.12-19 . The graphical representation of the process structure is alsoapplied as a technical means/user interface available for the user whenprogramming of the campaigns in question. This embodiment furtherincludes the application of a track history TH according to FIG. 27applied and used for many purposes in relation to the participantrecords PRECs processed by the system. The campaign management system ofthe embodiment also includes and benefits from a migration optionavailable for the user when updating versions of the process structureof campaigns. The migration feature elegantly facilitates migration ofparticipant records “in progress” from one version to another withoutneed for a complete finalization of the campaign, a re-entry ofparticipant records, unnecessary ejection of participant records stillin progress in the campaign. The migration features are explained infurther details in FIGS. 38-42 .

A sixteenth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system applies and refersto a graphically illustrated process structure PS as described in FIGS.12-19 . The graphical representation of the process structure is alsoapplied as a technical means/user interface available for the user whenprogramming of the campaigns in question. This embodiment furtherincludes the application of a track history TH according to FIG. 27applied and used for many purposes in relation to the participantrecords PRECs processed by the system. The campaign management system ofthe embodiment also includes and benefits from a suspension option ormode where a user, and in some particular embodiments the participant,may invoke a suspension of the execution of the campaign. The embodimentprovides for a resumption of the execution of the campaign on the basisof the participant records and their respective participant locations.The suspension feature is explained in FIGS. 44-49 .

A seventeenth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system applies and refersto a graphically illustrated process structure PS as described in FIGS.12-19 . The graphical representation of the process structure is alsoapplied as a technical means/user interface available for the user whenprogramming of the campaigns in question. This embodiment furtherincludes the application of a track history TH according to FIG. 27applied and used for many purposes in relation to the participantrecords PRECs processed by the system. The campaign management system ofthe embodiment also includes and benefits from also features a so-calledsandbox mode, a test mode, where a user may perform very advanced testsof a campaign draft without communication with real participants, but inan advanced version still run the campaign as if a certain degree ofinteraction are occurring. This is explained in FIGS. 50-53 .

An eighteenth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system of this embodimentalso applies global and local participant attributes GPA, LPA asdescribed in FIGS. 9, 10 and FIGS. 31-34 . The campaign managementsystem applies and refers to a graphically illustrated process structurePS as described in FIGS. 12-19 . The graphical representation of theprocess structure is also applied as a technical means/user interfaceavailable for the user when programming of the campaigns in question.The campaign management system of the embodiment also includes andbenefits from an easy configuration of logic templates according toFIGS. 20-22 and where user editable parameters UEP may be easilyconfigured by a user as explained in FIGS. 28-30 .

A nineteenth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system of this embodimentalso applies global and local participant attributes GPA, LPA asdescribed in FIGS. 9, 10 and FIGS. 31-34 . The campaign managementsystem applies and refers to a graphically illustrated process structurePS as described in FIGS. 12-19 . The graphical representation of theprocess structure is also applied as a technical means/user interfaceavailable for the user when programming of the campaigns in question.This embodiment further includes the application of a track history THaccording to FIG. 27 applied and used for many purposes in relation tothe participant records PRECs processed by the system. The campaignmanagement system of the embodiment also includes and benefits from aneasy configuration of logic templates according to FIGS. 20-22 and whereuser editable parameters UEP may be easily configured by a user asexplained in FIGS. 28-30 .

A twentieth further embodiment of the invention includes the system asdescribed in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system of this embodimentalso applies global and local participant attributes GPA, LPA asdescribed in FIGS. 9, 10 and FIGS. 31-34 . The campaign managementsystem applies and refers to a graphically illustrated process structurePS as described in FIGS. 12-19 . The graphical representation of theprocess structure is also applied as a technical means/user interfaceavailable for the user when programming of the campaigns in question.This embodiment further includes the application of a track history THaccording to FIG. 27 applied and used for many purposes in relation tothe participant records PRECs processed by the system. The campaignmanagement system of the embodiment also includes and benefits from aneasy configuration of logic templates according to FIGS. 20-22 and whereuser editable parameters UEP may be easily configured by a user asexplained in FIGS. 28-30 . The campaign management system of theembodiment also includes and benefits from a migration option availablefor the user when updating versions of the process structure ofcampaigns. The migration feature elegantly facilitates migration ofparticipant records “in progress” from one version to another withoutneed for a complete finalization of the campaign, a re-entry ofparticipant records, and unnecessary ejection of participant recordsstill in progress in the campaign. The migration features are explainedin further details in FIGS. 38-42 .

A twenty-first further embodiment of the invention includes the systemas described in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system of this embodimentalso applies global and local participant attributes GPA, LPA asdescribed in FIGS. 9, 10 and FIGS. 31-34 . The campaign managementsystem applies and refers to a graphically illustrated process structurePS as described in FIGS. 12-19 . The graphical representation of theprocess structure is also applied as a technical means/user interfaceavailable for the user when programming of the campaigns in question.This embodiment further includes the application of a track history THaccording to FIG. 27 applied and used for many purposes in relation tothe participant records PRECs processed by the system. The campaignmanagement system of the embodiment also includes and benefits from aneasy configuration of logic templates according to FIGS. 20-22 and whereuser editable parameters UEP may be easily configured by a user asexplained in FIGS. 28-30 . The campaign management system of theembodiment also includes and benefits from a suspension option or modewhere a user, and in some particular embodiments the participant, mayinvoke a suspension of the execution of the campaign. The embodimentprovides for a resumption of the execution of the campaign on the basisof the participant records and their respective participant locations.The suspension feature is explained in FIGS. 44-49 .

A twenty-second further embodiment of the invention includes the systemas described in FIGS. 1, 2, 43 and 54 , optionally also as described inrelation to FIGS. 20-22 . The system in configured for application ofparticipant records PREC as described and explained in relation to FIGS.3-8 and FIGS. 23-26 . The campaign management system of this embodimentalso applies global and local participant attributes GPA, LPA asdescribed in FIGS. 9, 10 and FIGS. 31-34 . The campaign managementsystem applies and refers to a graphically illustrated process structurePS as described in FIGS. 12-19 . The graphical representation of theprocess structure is also applied as a technical means/user interfaceavailable for the user when programming of the campaigns in question.This embodiment further includes the application of a track history THaccording to FIG. 27 applied and used for many purposes in relation tothe participant records PRECs processed by the system. The campaignmanagement system of the embodiment also includes and benefits from aneasy configuration of logic templates according to FIGS. 20-22 and whereuser editable parameters UEP may be easily configured by a user asexplained in FIGS. 28-30 . The campaign management system of theembodiment also includes and benefits from also features a so-calledsandbox mode, a test mode, where a user may perform very advanced testsof a campaign draft without communication with real participants, but inan advanced version still run the campaign as if a certain degree ofinteraction are occurring. This is explained in FIGS. 50-53 .

Definitions and Reference Signs

Attributes: In the present disclosure, the term attribute is used fordata related to an object, for example a participant, a campaign, etc.Attributes are generally editable over the course of a campaign, and maytherefore also be considered variables. Depending on the relation andnature, an attribute may for example be local to a specific campaign orglobal for several campaigns or other used. An attribute may also belocal to a specific logic template or temporary. The disclosurefacilitates different kinds of datatypes for attributes, and they may bestored in databases, files, etc.

CA—campaign attributes: Some data may be relevant across allparticipants of a campaign, and such data are referred to as campaignattributes. Campaign attributes may for example be useful when exactlyone object is needed to coordinate actions across the campaign. This mayfor example be initialization data for the campaign, general settingsand configuration of the campaign, or a value that is shared between allparticipants, e.g. the number of prizes in a lottery, the number ofseats at an event, the current leader of a collection, etc. In otherwords, the campaign attributes may in an aspect be considered‘singletons’ in the scope of a campaign. In embodiments features two ormore process structure versions, the campaign attributes may be managedindividually for each version, or also here be managed as singletonsacross versions.

CAM—campaign: A campaign according to the present disclosure refers toan arrangement or structure of processing and managing participants,preferably involving a number of interactions with the participants. Acampaign in the present disclosure may be considered the technicalstructure set up to manage a customer relationship, advertisingcampaign, complaint, service or booking procedure, event participantmanagement, project management, object management, product life cyclemanagement, etc. A campaign facilitates a number of more or less complexways that a participant, human or object, can progress depending on theinteractions with the participant and properties of the participant andother elements of the campaign, for examples choices made by theparticipant, state of external circumstances or events, etc. A campaignmay in an embodiment be endless in the sense that participants reachinga dead end may be suspended for resumption at a later time when thecampaign has been evolved to handle the dead end.

CAMS—campaign management system: In the present disclosure, the campaignmanagement system is a system defining and managing a campaign,including comprising the process structure, a number of participantrecords, a graphical user interface to manage the process structure anda processing engine to execute the campaign. The campaign managementsystem may be distributed, for example between a campaign designing partand a campaign processing part.

CAR—campaign record: In the present disclosure, a campaign record is adata container representing a campaign. Besides a reference of any kind,more or less identifying, to an associated campaign, the campaign recordstores, among others, campaign attributes based on data generated duringthe campaign, e.g. data generated through interactions withparticipants. In other words, the data in a campaign record representsthe current state and history of a campaign, and the campaign record ismodified during the course of the campaign

CCLT—common configured logic template: By common configured logictemplate is referred to a configured logic template that is present intwo or more process structure versions. As different process structureversions may define different possible experiences, events, actions,etc. and/or different ways or criteria to reach the different points,the common configured logic templates represent points in the processstructure which exist in at least one other version, and thereby forms amatching position in terms of process flow. The common configured logictemplate is preferably configured substantially similar in bothversions. However, a configured logic template can be a commonconfigured logic template even if configured differently in the two ormore process structure versions to which it is common. For example, anew process structure version may be different from an earlier processstructure version by having changed filter criteria of a logic template,added options, e.g. sequence forward points, of a logic template, etc.,but such logic template is still considered a common configured logictemplate for the two process sequence versions despite of the differencein configuration. On the other hand, a logic template that only existsin one of the versions, or has been significantly reconfigured, such asby removing sequence forward points or local participant attributes,cannot be a common configured logic template to the two versions. Thesubsets of configured logic templates that is used in the differentprocess sequence versions thus overlap by at least one, and oftenseveral, common configured logic templates. In other words, a commonconfigured logic template represents a similar functionality in two ormore versions of a campaign. A common configured logic template therebyalso determines an advantageous position in the process sequence for theprocessing of a participant record to be migrated from one version toanother, as the functionality at that location in the processingsequence is the same or at least overlapping.

CGPB—campaign graphical pause button: In the present disclosure, acampaign graphical pause button refers to a button in the graphical userinterfaces which the user may click on to suspend the entire campaign.

CLPA—campaign-specific local participant attribute: In the presentdisclosure, a campaign-specific local participant attribute is a localparticipant attribute which is generally available and relevant over thecourse of the campaign to several logic templates, e.g. forconsolidating interactions. By providing local participant attributeswhich are available to more than one logic template, preferably to anylogic template, of the process structure, i.e. of a specific campaign,it is possible to track information, participant interaction, counters,etc., across the various logic templates. This may for example be anadvantageous way of storing campaign specific participant preferences,without requiring export of the information to the master data. In thatsense, the local participant attributes may also be considered temporaryas compared to master data.

CLT—configured logic template: In the present disclosure, a configuredlogic template refers to a logic template which has been configured fora particular campaign and process structure by editing the user editableparameters to the extent necessary for achieving the intendedfunctionality in the process structure. This may for example involvesetting various initialization parameters, filter criteria, referencesto participant attributes and campaign attributes, definition ofsequence forward points, etc. Some logic templates, in particular oneswith simple functionality, may be preconfigured by default values or notneed any configuration to function, and are thus considered configuredlogic templates as soon as they are placed into a process structure.

COM—computer system: In the present disclosure a computer system refersto a system comprising all the hardware and software required to make itfunctional for a user. The computer system has the ability to receiveuser input and participant input, process data and create informationfor storage and/or output. The computer system may be a stand-alonecomputer system or a distributed computer system such as a cloud-basedcomputer system. The computer system of the present disclosure isarranged to host the campaign management system and thereby facilitateinteractions with participants subjected to a campaign as well asinteractions with the user of the campaign management system.

Computer-implemented: The campaign management system iscomputer-implemented, meaning according to the present disclosure thatthe participant records, the process structure versions, the configuredlogic templates and their executable program fragments, the trackhistories, the configurations and other elements comprised by thecampaign management system are stored in digital form in the same ordifferent locations and computer storage types, and that one or moreprocessors are provided to manage the data and configurations andperform the processing of the participant records according to theprocess structure. In various embodiments, the campaign managementsystem further comprises a graphical user interface, hence alsocomputer-implemented, i.e. providing a graphical view to a user by anydisplay means and receiving input from the user by any ordinary orspecial computer input means. The campaign management system may beimplemented and running on a single computer, or have different modulesseparated to different computers, e.g. one computer running a processingengine processing participant records, and another computer running thegraphical user interface for designing the process structure. Thecampaign management system may be using distributed processing, forexample cloud based. The storage of data may be at separate dataservers, e.g. cloud based, or be local in connection with the processingcomputers.

Container record: According to the present disclosure, severalparticipant records may be associated with the same participant, wherebydifferent executions of process structure may exist for a singleparticipant. In this situation, the two or more participant recordsassociated with the same participant may be stored and processed asindividual participant records, or they may preferably be storedtogether in a container record, providing for sharing an amount ofcommon data but function as individual participant records. An advantageof using a container record to store participant records associated withthe same participant may be to avoid data redundancy and quantity. As anexample, the participant association, all the global participantattributes, and some of the local participant attributes may beidentical for all instances of processing related to the sameparticipant and could be stored once as common data in the containerrecord associated with the particular participant, whereas other localparticipant attributes and in particular the individual track historiesfor each participant record related to that particular participant wouldneed individual storage within the container record. A part of the trackhistories may be common data in the container record if the forking of aparticipant record into two or more participant records occurred aftersome execution history was made. According to the present disclosure,implementations of these examples or similar, where a number ofparticipant records are consolidated in a container record, areconsidered to comprise a number of individual participant recordsassociated with the same participant even if stored in an efficient,data-sharing way, and are treated as individual participant records froma processing point of view.

CPSEQ—configured process sequences: According to the disclosure,configured process sequences denote the possible sequences through theprocess structure, defined by the couplings of logic templates in thegraphical user interface. In other words, each configured processsequence defines a possible way of execution of participant recordsthrough a campaign or other process. Each branch or rejoin of graphicalconnections and graphical sequence connection points, and each possibleprocess feedback from a forward point of a logic template back to thereceive point of the same logic template, possible via other logictemplates, results in a different configured process sequence. As theuser editable parameters are a significant part of configuring thepossible connection points of the logic templates, they thereby also inpractice facilitate the possible couplings and thereby the possibleconfigured process structures.

DALT—Data logic template: According to the present disclosure, a datalogic template is a category of logic templates for performing dataoperations such as serialization/deserialization, import/export,changing attribute values, etc. Various data logic templates mayimplement different kinds of data operations, and work on differentkinds of data. Some data logic templates may for example be arranged towrite values of local participant attributes into master data or viceversa, i.e. having a global scope according to the present disclosure,whereas others may be arranged to manipulate local participant recordsbased on in-campaign data or events, e.g. for consolidation within thepresent campaign, i.e. having a local scope according to the presentdisclosure.

CSTA—current state: According to the present disclosure, a current statereflects the current content of a participant record within a campaign,e.g. the current state of the track history and the current participantattributes.

DELT—Decision logic template: According to the present disclosure, adecision logic template is a category of logic templates for performingselection, filtering, etc., or otherwise decide a sequence forward pointbased on various criteria, participant attributes, external data orevent, etc. The selection may be based on interaction with aparticipant, and/or based on other input, data or randomly. A decisionlogic template may for example select a configured process sequencebased solely on user editable parameters, i.e. configuration of thelogic template, for example in the case of random A/B branching. Otherdecision logic templates may use the current participant attributes, forexample to make branching based on ranges of values, e.g. age,geographic location, sales amount, etc., or use external data such ascurrent weather condition at the participant's address, cloud data,social media data, e.g. ‘likes’, etc. Different decision logic templatetypes may for example include branching decision logic templates,exclusion decision logic templates, parallelization decision logictemplates, pass decision logic templates, time decision logic templates,manual decision logic templates and AI decision logic templates.

DISP—display: In the present disclosure, a display refers to a displaydevice which is an output device for presentation of information in avisual form. Examples of such a display may be a liquid crystal (LCD)display, a light emiting diode (LED) display, an organic light emittingdiode (OLED) display, an active matrix organic light emitting diode(AMOLED) display and a quantom dot (QLED) display. The display may be astand-alone display such as a desktop monitor or a display integrated ina handheld device such as a laptop, a tablet or a smartphone. Thedisplay of the present disclosure facilitates the displaying of thegraphical user interface of the campaign management system to the userof the system.

DMODE—design mode: According to the present disclosure, the term designmode refers to a mode of operation of the campaign management systemwhere the user has access to defining and/or modifying a processstructure by coupling logic templates to one another through sequenceforward points and sequence receive points. In the design mode, the usermay further edit user editable parameters of logic templates.

ENG—processing engine: The campaign management system comprises aprocessing engine to process the participant records in accordance witha process structure. Besides the provision of the graphical userinterface allowing a user to couple logic templates to define configuredprocess sequences and edit user editable parameters of the logictemplates to produce configured logic templates, a processing engine isprovided to process the thus configured campaign. A main purpose of theprocessing engine is to initiate the execution of the executable programfragments of the individual logic templates in a sequence defined by theprocess structure and as appropriate for a particular participant recordbased on its track history and any relevant process structure versions,and manage this for all the participant records in a campaign or severalcampaigns. The processing engine determines, for each participantrecord, which executable program fragment to execute next. The optionsfor the processing engine is limited to the configured process sequencesdefined in the process structure, and further limited by the trackhistory of the particular participant record. In other words, the priorexecution of a participant record and the choices made in thatconnection, possibly by the associated participant, and in particularthe last executed executable program fragment for that particularparticipant record, determines which possible configured processsequences are available to that participant record, and the outcome ofthe last executed executable program fragment in terms of a determinedsequence forward point will due to the connections between sequenceforward points and sequence receive points of logic templates defined inthe process structure, determine a specific logic template andexecutable program fragment to execute next for that participant record.In an embodiment, the processing engine is able to process participantrecords according to an only partly configured process structure, as theexecution can suspended until further configuration allows resumption.The processing engine is computer-implemented, and may utilize parallelprocessing in several execution threads in a queue-based executionsystem, and/or utilize distribution computing, and/or delegate executiontasks to separate processors, e.g. a logic template being hosted andexecuted on a third party computer.

EPF—executable program fragment: In the present disclosure, anexecutable program fragment denotes a piece of code that can be executedto perform one or more actions with respect to a specified participantrecord. Each logic template comprises an executable program fragmentwhich is configured, e.g. by software programming and/or hardwarecircuits, to perform the special function or several functions relatedto that logic template. The executable program fragments are preferablyconfigured to rely on a configuration established by the user editableparameters, and further to rely on one or more specific participantrecords. An executable program fragment may also be configured tofurther rely on external data, e.g. data retrieved from a webservicesuch as weather data, event booking data, etc. The executable programfragments of the various logic templates are configured to be executedin a sequence relative to each other as determined by the processingengine on the basis of the process structure.

EPSEQ—executed process sequence: The sequence of executable programfragments that has actually been executed with respect to a specificparticipant record is denoted an executed process sequence, and isstored in the track history for that specific participant record. Anexecuted process sequence thus corresponds to one of the configuredprocess sequences of the process structure, or to a part thereof if theprocessing has not yet finished.

ESTA—emulated state: In the present disclosure, an emulated state is astate of a test participant record at any time during testing withintest mode TMODE. The emulated state may comprise an emulated trackhistory and/or emulated values of participant attributes. The emulatedstate pertaining to a test participant record may be generated by theuser of the campaign management system or randomly generated by thecampaign management system itself.

Filtering parameter: A filtering parameter in the present disclosurerelates to many different possible ways of extracting desiredinformation from a process structure operating in live mode and/or testmode. The filtering could be performed with respect to the participantgender, age, preferences with respect to products, etc. The filteringwould as such then e.g. provide a possibility of monitoring visually theaccumulated number of total participants of a certain campaign havingentered the different “steps”, i.e. configured logic templates, of theprocess structure, and then switch to another view where only maleparticipant are illustrated. In this way, it may be possible for thecampaign designer, the user of the campaign management system, or theperson in responsibility of the campaign in a live mode to view andcheck not only whether the campaign is running as intended but alsocheck if some groups of participants are following different paths alongthe process structure. Everything may be performed in real-time. Suchfiltering may also give the person responsible of the campaigninformation to decide whether the campaign should be optimized orpaused, completely or partly. In an embodiment the filtering parameterincludes gender, age, country, nationality, consumption history,relevant local attributes related to a specific campaign, etc.

GC—graphical connection: When designing a campaign in the graphical userinterface, the graphical elements representing the individual logictemplates are getting connected by graphical connections. The graphicalconnections thereby become the definition of the process structure,together with the configurations made to the individual logic templates.Several logic templates may preferably have a plurality of sequenceforward points, and for such logic templates, each graphical connectionis preferably connected to a specific sequence forward point, in orderto facilitate different connections for the different sequence forwardpoints of a logic template. Likewise, in an embodiment providing aplurality of sequence receive points for a logic template, the graphicalconnections are connected to specific such sequence receive points. Inother words, the graphical connections preferably bind specific sequenceforward points to specific sequence receive points, and are used by theuser to define and illustrate the various configured process sequences,and thereby indirectly by the processing engine to determine thesequence of execution of executable program fragments and relatedconfigurations.

GDENV—graphical design environment: In the present disclosure, agraphical design environment is the part of the graphical user interfacewhere the graphical definition of a process structure is made by placinggraphical elements and connecting them by graphical connections.GE—graphical element: In the present disclosure, a graphical element isa representation of a logic template in the graphical user interface. Itmay preferably be interactive for the user to drag-and-drop, relocate,and otherwise interact with the configuration of the related logictemplate, etc. Graphical elements are connectable by graphicalconnections.

GEL—graphical element library: The graphical user interface GUI maycomprise a graphical elements library GEL, which according to thepresent disclosure shows and avails the graphical elements GE to a userof the campaign management system CAMS for defining a process structurePS.

GPA—global participant attribute: In the present disclosure, the termsglobal and local with respect to participant attributes denote theorigin, and thereby original availability, of an attribute value in thescope of a campaign. A global participant attribute thus refers to aparticipant attribute of which the value is retrieved from the masterdata used to generate the participant record, i.e. retrieved fromoutside the campaign, so that the global participant attribute comprisesa representation of the data or a reference to the data. The master dataon which global participant attributes are based are preferably alsogenerally available to other campaigns and any other uses, and may forexample be data from a CRM system, social media account, etc. The termglobal in the present disclosure does not mean that changes to theattribute are necessarily reflected in the originating scope, i.e. inthe master data. In a preferred embodiment, changes to the value of aglobal participant attribute which takes place in the scope of acampaign are not reflected in the underlying master data, unless thevalue is explicitly written back to the master data by a suitable logictemplate. In that aspect, a global participant attribute may beconsidered an instance of master data for the scope of a specificcampaign. In case of a global participant attributed storing a referenceto master data instead of a copy of the data, any update of the masterdata will preferably by reflected in the use of the global participantattribute in the campaign.

GUI—graphical user interface: The graphical user interface is configuredto allow the user of the campaign management system to build andillustrate a process structure and configure individual logic templates,by presenting graphical elements, graphical connections, etc., on ascreen, and facilitating interaction with the graphical elements andconnections, etc., by input from the user e.g. by computer mouse,keyboard, touch gestures, etc.

IALT—interaction logic template: According to the present disclosure, aninteraction logic template is a category of logic templates forinteracting with the participant related to the specific participantrecord processed. The executable program fragments of interaction logictemplates are arranged to establish or facilitate a communication withthe participant. Various interaction logic templates may implementdifferent kinds of communication, e.g. email, smartphone push messages,QR codes, web forms, etc. The executable program fragment of interactionlogic templates may be arranged to accommodate different outcomes anderror situations related to the kind of communication that theyimplement, such as receiving input from participant, handlingcommunication errors, detecting absence of reaction after a timerexpiration, etc. Thereby an interaction logic template may often be morecomplex than other categories of logic templates in its implementationand configuration as experienced by the user, i.e. the sense that asingle interaction logic template can handle e.g. both transmission toparticipants, received response from participants, delays, bouncing ofemails and other errors, etc.

IJLT—injection logic template: According to the present disclosure, aninjection logic template is a category of logic templates for managingthe injection of participants into a campaign. The executable programfragments of injection logic templates are arranged to createparticipant records, including creating global participant attributesfrom master data when relevant, and preferably to detect and managesituations where a particular participant to be injected already has arelated participant record in the same campaign. The injection logictemplates are different from other categories of logic templates becausetheir executable program fragment can be executed without reference to aspecific participant record, as it is the injection logic template whichcreates the participant record. The master data from which the globalparticipant attributes are derived, may be any kind of data about aparticipant, with or without explicit identification. It may for examplebe master data from a client database or similar, but also data from CSVfiles, imports from a REST Service, information gathered from theparticipant doing a QR-Scan or a website call possibly leaving only anIP address or device identification, etc.

LMODE—live mode: In the present disclosure, the term live mode refers toa mode of operation of the campaign management system where participantrecords are being processed by reference to a process structure.

LPA—local participant attribute: In the present disclosure, the termsglobal and local with respect to participant attributes denote theorigin, and thereby original availability, of an attribute value in thescope of a campaign. A local participant attribute thus refers to aparticipant attribute of which the value is produced during the courseof the campaign, possibly generated within the campaign or based onexternal data not being master data of the participant. Localparticipant attributes may comprise template-specific local participantattributes relating to or being relevant only to specific logictemplates, and campaign-specific local participant attributes generallyavailable and relevant over the course of the campaign to several logictemplates.

LT—logic template: In the present disclosure, logic templates are theactive building blocks of a process structure of a campaign. A logictemplate comprises an executable program fragment defining andimplementing its action(s) and user editable parameters to configure it.Different categories of logic templates may be provided, for exampleinjection logic templates to inject participants in a campaign bygenerating participant records, interaction logic templates to performinteractions with the participant, decision logic templates to performselection, filtering, etc., and data logic templates to perform dataoperations such as serialization/deserialization, import/export of datafrom/to master data or third party systems, changing attribute values,etc.

MC—mouse cursor: A graphical indication of a location in the graphicaluser interface which is controlled by a user-controlled pointing device,e.g. a computer mouse or stylus.

MD—master data: In the present disclosure, master data refers to dataexternal to a campaign, about persons or objects, for example clients orleads in a CRM system, webshop users, conference participants, campaignsubjects, subscribers to services, sold, leased or rented products suchas cars or other means for transportation, batteries for electricvehicles. Master data may for example comprise identificationinformation, contact information, account information, financialinformation, interests and sales information. A subset of the masterdata may preferably be used as basis for a participant record in theform of global participant attributes holding values based on masterdata or simply referencing master data.

MDB—database of master data: The master data may be stored in one ormore data sources of any kind, herein commonly referred to as databases,for example a CRM system of an enterprise, social media datacenters,CSV-files etc. The campaign management system is arranged to access thedatabase of master data to retrieve a subset of master data for aparticipant record, or it may simply receive the master data as a pushrequest. The database of master data may be stored locally, in centraldatacenters, cloud storage, etc., and may provide any suitable means ofconnection for data exchange with the campaign management system.

Migration: The processing of a participant record in accordance with theprocess structure may according to the present disclosure in anembodiment be migrated to a different process structure version. Eachparticipant record may from its creation be processed according to theprocess structure version which created it. However, when the campaignmanagement system has more than one process structure version of aprocess structure, the processing of the participant record can bemigrated to one of the other process structure versions, for example anewer, more optimized or evolved process structure version. Thismigration may advantageously be automatically applied by the campaignmanagement system, e.g. by a processing engine, when the circumstancesfor a processing migration are right. In an embodiment the migration mayalso be applied manually by the user.

P—participant: According to the present disclosure, a participant is anexternal and real person or object which the campaign basically isdirected towards. In the present context a participant may thus be aperson, a machine, a device, etc., to which a campaign can be directed.Each campaign is typically directed to a specific kind of participants,e.g. persons. Examples of participants may include clients or leads in aCRM system, webshop users, conference participants, campaign subjects,subscribers to services, sold, leased or rented products such as cars orother means for transportation, batteries for electric vehicles, etc. Inthe processing of the campaign, the participants are represented byparticipant records. The participants may or may not know that they aresubject of a campaign, but a campaign typically causes some kind ofinteraction with the participants, irrespective of the participantsbeing aware that it is controlled by the processing of the campaign. Aparticipant may be anonymous to the campaign in the sense that theparticipant record may include more or less information about theparticipant it represents, from an arbitrary GUID or serial number orthe like when nothing else is available, to complete participantidentifiable data such as name, address, email address, social securitynumber, etc. in campaigns where this kind of information is relevant.

P-INPUT—participant input: In the present disclosure, a participantinput relates to actions necessary for the processing of participantrecords, or test participant records, such as for the processing inrelation to interaction logic templates. Examples of participantinteractions are responses to E-mails and other text messages such asSMS, clicks on a landing page, scans of QR-codes and any other form ofinteraction with a campaign. The participant interaction may beperformed by a participant subjected to a campaign and/or a user of thecampaign management system when for example a process structure, orprocess structure version, is operating in test mode.

PA—participant attribute: In the present disclosure, a participantattribute denotes a piece of data related to a specific participantrecord and thereby a specific participant. The participant attributesmay be based on master data about the participant, such as globalparticipant attributes, or be defined during campaign design and given avalue over the course of the campaign, e.g. by interaction with theparticipant, such as local participant attributes. The participantattributes may for example identify the participant, provide participantcontact interface information to initiate interaction with theparticipant, receive and store inputs from the participant, storetemporary processing data related to the participant, etc.

PACT—participant action: In the present disclosure, the participantaction is an action performed by the participant which determines if theexecution of one or more executable program fragments of one or moreconfigured logic templates should be suspended from execution or resumedfrom a previous suspension. A participant action may be as simple as anon-responsiveness of a participant, for example when a participant doesnot answer an E-mail or when a participant performs an interaction withthe campaign which forwards the corresponding participant record to aconfigured logic template which is not coupled to any other configuredlogic templates such that no further processing of the participantrecord is available.

PAS—participant association: In the present disclosure, the participantrecords each comprises a participant association being a more or lessunique identifier of the participant, such as for example an emailaddress, telephone number, customer account number, social media accountname, social security number, etc.

PAT—participant attribute type: According to the present disclosure,participant attribute type generally refers to the data type of aparticipant attribute. This may be simple base data types such asBoolean, integer, float, etc., and may in various embodiments also bebuilt-in or user-defined complex data types or structures such asarrays, format validated data fields like telephone numbers or emailaddresses, enumerations, structures of same or different datatypes likeaddresses, images, documents, etc.

PCI—participant contact interface: In the present disclosure, aparticipant contact interface is referring to any interface tointeracting with a participant being a person or an object. Suchinterfaces may e.g. be email client, telephone, message serviceinterface, social media interface, geographical address for postalservices or physical meeting, a communication client on a computer,smartphone or other connected device, etc.

PCII—participant contact interface information: In the presentdisclosure, a participant contact interface information is informationenabling establishing a communication through a participant contactinterface, e. g. email-address, a telephone number, a social mediaaccount name, a street address, an internet address or other networkaddress e.g. IP-address, a device address e.g. MAC-address oradvertising identifier, or a participant identifier. The participantcontact interface information may for example be stored as a globalparticipant attribute or local participant attribute in a participantrecord.

PIC—participant interaction channel: In the present disclosure, aparticipant interaction channel is an already established communicationchannel between a participant and the campaign management system. Theparticipant may update a local participant attribute of the associatedparticipant record by means of the participant interaction channel. Assuch, a participant interaction channel may represent a communicationchannel relating to any of the participant contact interfaces of thepresent disclosure.

PLOC—participant location: In the present disclosure, a participantlocation is a location in the process structure which reflects theprogress of the processing of a participant record according to aprocess structure. The participant location may refer to a sequenceforward point of a configured logic template which the participantrecord is associated with after the processing by the configured logictemplate. The participant location may also refer to a specificconfigured logic template which is currently processing the participantrecord. It should be noted that a participant location is a somewhatabstract designation of the process as neither the participant, nor theparticipant record, is moved or transferred during the process. Theparticipant record rather captures the present state of the attributes,including the registered track history of the participant recordrelative to the progression along the process structure. In real life,the participant, will however experience progression along the processstructure, of course only to the degree that participant interactionsare in fact involved.

PRDB—participant record database: According to the present disclosure,any data storage structure holding one or more participant records maybe referred to as participant record database. It may for example becloud-based, distributed or centralized; be based on files, relationaldatabases, or any other data container; be compressed binary, or humanreadable text, or a combination, etc., and be accessed through a filesystem, webservice, database server, etc.

PREC—participant record: In the present disclosure, a participant recordis a data container representing a participant through a campaigndefined by a process structure. Besides a reference of any kind, more orless identifying, to an associated participant, the participant recordstores, among others, participant attributes based on master data aboutthe participant and data generated during the campaign, e.g. byinteraction with the participant, and a track history indicating theexecuted process sequence for the participant. In other words, the datain a participant record represents the current state and history of aparticipant in relation to the campaign, and the participant record ismodified during the course of the campaign. Several participant recordsmay be associated with the same participant, whereby differentexecutions of process structure may exist for a single participant. Forexample, a participant may be injected into the campaign several timeswhere allowed, or be forked after an interaction where several optionsare selected where allowed. In this situation, the two or moreparticipant records associated with the same participant may be storedand processed as individual participant records, or they may preferablybe stored together in a container record, providing for sharing anamount of common data but function as individual participant records.

PRID—participant record identifier: According to the present disclosure,the participant records are identified by a participant recordidentifier, which is preferably unique within a campaign managementsystem, or at least within a process structure. The participant recordidentifier may be the participant identifier stored as participantassociation for associating with a participant, such as email orcustomer number, but the participant record identifier is preferably anarbitrary unique identifier to keep the association with the participantflexible, and allow for several participant records associated with thesame participant. When a container record is used to hold severalparticipant records associated with the same participant, the uniqueparticipant record identifier may be implemented as a combination of acontainer record identifier and a sub-identifier of the individualinstances stored in the container record.

Processing: According to the present disclosure, the campaign managementsystem is processing the participant records according to the processstructure, possibly a specific process structure version. This meansamong others that the campaign management system in an embodiment iscontrolling which configured logic templates' executable programfragments to execute with respect to which participant records inaccordance with the configured process sequences defined by the processstructure. The processing results in the track histories of theparticipant records being updated to reflect the processing, and theprocessing may also involve further modification of the participantrecords, in particular modification of participant attributes.

PS—process structure: According to the present disclosure, a processstructure defines the configured process sequences, i.e. the possiblesequences of processing of participant records in a particular campaignand is thereby a machine-processable definition of a campaign. Theprocess structure may preferably be defined by couplings of logictemplates in a graphical user interface, and indirectly affected by theuser editable parameters of the logic templates which define some of thepossible couplings of logic templates. The process structure may alsodefine and hold other data of general application to the campaign, inparticular definitions and data that impact which process sequences arepossible, or how they are selected for a participant record. The processstructure is used by the processing engine to determine what to processnext with respect to a particular participant record at a particularstate.

PSV1, PSV2—process structure versions: In the present disclosure, aprocess structure version refers to a version of a process structure,thereby indicating that in an embodiment a process structure can havemore than one version. The process structure is a machine-processabledefinition of a campaign, but in an embodiment, the user may evolve orchange the campaign over time, and in an embodiment this feature may beimplemented by creating new versions of the process structure whenchanges are made, thereby allowing preserving, at least for a while, theprior versions of the process structure, also, instead of replacingthem. Two or more process structure versions may also derive from simplywanting alternative process structures, not necessarily better or newerthan the other. Process structure versions based on the same processstructure may typically have similarities and may in an embodiment allowmigration of processing of a participant record from one processstructure version to another. Two process structure versions maycomprise configured process sequences that are more or less identical,and/or configured process sequences that are significantly different.

PSDB—process structure database: According to the present disclosure,any data storage structure holding one or more process structures orprocess structure versions may be referred to as process structuredatabase. It may for example be cloud-based, distributed or centralized;be based on files, relational databases, or any other data container; becompressed binary, or human readable text, or a combination, etc., andbe accessed through a file system, webservice, database server, etc.

R-PAUSE—resume command: According to the present disclosure a resumecommand is a command which may be triggered by a user action, such asthe user of the campaign management system pressing a graphical buttonin the graphical user interface. The resume command facilitates aresumption of the execution of one or more executable program fragmentsthat have already been. The resume command may be directed to theresumption of an executable program fragment of a single configuredlogic template. The resume command may also be directed towards aresumption of all executable program fragments of a campaign such thatthe execution of the entire campaign is resumed.

S-PAUSE—suspension command: According to the present disclosure, asuspension command is a command which may be triggered by a user action,such as the user of the campaign management system pressing a graphicalbutton in the graphical user interface. The suspension commandfacilitates a suspension of the execution of one or more executableprogram fragments depending on the scope of the desired suspension. Thesuspension command may be directed to the suspension of an executableprogram fragment of a single configured logic template such that only apart of a process structure of a campaign is suspended. The suspensioncommand may also be directed towards a suspension of all executableprogram fragments of a campaign such that the execution of the entirecampaign is suspended.

SC—server computer: In the present disclosure a server computer is anyprocessing device configured to manage and/or execute data. The servercomputer may comprise or have operational access to a processor such asone or more CPUs, volatile and non-volatile memory such as RAM, ROM andhard drives, a network communication module and/or other input/outputmodules, etc. The server computer may be a physical device or a virtualcomputer implemented on a physical device or distributed on severalphysical devices, e.g. distributed or cloud-based processing.

Sequence connection point: The logic templates according to the presentdisclosure comprise sequence connection points to allow definingcouplings between logic templates in order to build a process structureof configured process sequences. The sequence connection points are alsopreferably represented graphically on the graphical elementsrepresenting logic template in the graphical user interface tofacilitate the user's creation of graphical connections between thegraphical elements. The sequence connection points may therebyillustrate the options available to the user for making connections toand from a particular logic template.

SFP—sequence forward point: In the present disclosure, a sequenceforward point is a type of sequence connection point, and the one ormore sequence forward points of a logic template define the one or moreoptions a logic template has of passing the processing duty on to asubsequent logic template in a sequence, or in other words, the one ormore outcome states that a logic template provides. For example, a logictemplate that performs a random A/B split, may have two sequence forwardpoints, one for the A outcome, and one for the B outcome, or aparticipant interaction logic template may have sequence forward pointsrelated to the different choices made available to participant as partof the interaction, and further sequence forward points for variousreasons that no interaction was performed.

SRP—sequence receive point: In the present disclosure, a sequencereceive point refers to the availability to define the logic template asa subsequent step in a process, i.e. receiving the duty of processingfrom a previous logic template in a sequence. Most logic templatescomprise a sequence receive point, but some kinds oflogic templates, inan embodiment in particular injection logic templates, may not need asequence receive point as they are configured to be the start of aprocess sequence and create the participant records.

TGPB—template graphical pause button: According to the presentdisclosure, a template graphical pause button is a button in thegraphical user interface pertaining to a graphical element of a logictemplate, e.g. configured logic template, which when clicked on by auser of the campaign management system suspends the execution of theexecutable program fragment of the logic template, e.g. configured logictemplate. The template graphical pause button may be implemented as abutton showing a pause-icon.

TLPA—template-specific local participant attribute: In the presentdisclosure, a template-specific local participant attribute is a localparticipant attribute which relates to or is relevant only to specificlogic templates, e.g. as temporary preserving of events or choices. Therelation to a specific logic template may in an embodiment also imply ascope of availability being restricted to the specific logic template.

TH—track history: According to the present disclosure, a track historyis a part of a participant record, and refers to a logging of anexecuted process sequence of a processing of that participant record inaccordance with the process structure. In other words, the track historyis a kind of log which stores the sequence or a reference thereto ofexecutable program fragments that the participant record has beenprocessed by, and preferably includes timestamps and sequence forwardpoints that were used, and possibly other data that may be relevant tobe able to report in relation to the executed sequence, such as thedevelopment of a value of a participant attribute, which processstructure version was used, etc. In an embodiment the values of localparticipant attributes may be recoverable from the track history. Thetrack history is preferably used by the processing engine to determinethe next processing step for the participant record, and for embodimentsthat feature migration of processing between process structure versions,the track history may also be used to control the migration. The trackhistory can also be used for reporting and statistics, such as a liveview of past and current state of each participant attribute.

TIME—time: In the present disclosure time refers to any instant of time,for example the time at which a current state of a participant record ismapped into a test participant record in test mode.

TMODE—test mode: In the present disclosure, a test mode refers to a modeof operation in which the campaign management system is able to test theperformance of a process structure, or process structure version. Suchtesting may for example include testing whether or not test participantrecords can actually be processed according to a particular configuredprocess sequence, whether or not individual configured logic templatesare working as intended, and whether the overall process structure worksas intended. The test mode also allows for generating statistics on thefuture development of the campaign which may come in handy whenassessing whether or not the process structure is configured as itshould. For example, the test mode may inject any number of testparticipant records, such as 10,000 test participant records, into aprocess structure in test mode, and the processing of these testparticipant records reflects a bias such that for example the vastmajority are processed according to a specific configured processsequence when it was expected that these records were to be processedmore homogeneous among a greater number of configured process sequences.By identifying such dominant configured process sequences, it becomespossible to identify which configured logic templates may comprise usereditable parameters that were not properly set up.

TPREC—test participant record: In the present disclosure, a testparticipant record is a record for use in the test mode of the campaignmanagement system. The test participant record includes similar featuresas a participant record such as attributes and a track history. The testparticipant record may reflect a current state of a participant recordwhich have already undergone some processing in live mode, and thereforethe content of the test participant record is based on real dataobtained by the processing of a participant record in a campaign. Thetest participant record may also reflect an emulated state meaning thatthe data contained by the test participant record is arbitrary datapertaining to a fictious participant. The test participant records arecapable of being processed according to a process structure operating intest mode, and the processing may require participant inputs performedby the user of the campaign management system and/or participant inputsgenerated by the campaign management system itself.

UACT—user action: In the present disclosure, a user action is an actionperformed by the user of the campaign management system which determinesif the execution of one or more executable program fragments of one ormore configured logic templates should be suspended from execution orresumed from a previous suspension. An example of a user action is whenthe user of the campaign management system actively chooses to pause theexecution of a specific configured logic template by clicking, in thegraphical user interface, on a pause button associated with thatconfigured logic template. Another example is the user clicking on agraphical pause button, in the graphical user interface, which pausesthe execution of all executable program fragments of all configuredlogic templates of the process structure.

UAN—user-defined attribute name: In the present disclosure, auser-defined attribute name generally refers to the name of a localparticipant attribute. The name of the local participant attribute maybe chosen by the user during the configuration of a logic template. Theuser-defined attribute name may be any name defined by a string. Byenabling the user of the campaign management system to name a localparticipant attribute during the configuration of a logic template, theattribute may receive a name which is logical to the user of thecampaign management system, and not just any name or value which is voidof any contextual information.

UEP—user editable parameters: In the present disclosure, user editableparameters are the user-configurable part of logic templates, therebyconfiguring how the executable program fragments of the logic templatesprocess the participant records. A logic template where a requiredminimum of the user editable parameters have been appropriately adjustedfor a particular campaign is also referred to as a configured logictemplate. The user editable parameters may for example relate tocriteria such as ranges, thresholds, comparison values, filters, values,etc., selection or configuration of optional features of the executableprogram fragment, configuration of settings, default values, predefinedvalues, etc., to influence and configure the execution of the executableprogram fragment in relation to a participant record. The user editableparameters may refer to data available in the participant record, i.e.participant attributes, as subject of comparison, selection, etc.,and/or referencing campaign attributes of the process structure, i.e.common data generally available for all participant records processed bya particular process structure. In an embodiment a reference to anon-existing participant attribute or campaign attribute in a usereditable parameter may cause automatic creation of such participantattribute or campaign attribute. The user editable parameters may allowthe user to create further options for the executable program fragmentto select from based on user-definable criteria, and automaticallygenerate sequence forward points corresponding to the created furtheroptions.

UIS—user initiated suspension: According to the present disclosure, auser initiated suspension is a suspension of the execution of one ormore executable program fragments facilitated by a user action, e.g. asuspension command initiated by the user of the campaign managementsystem.

UPS—updated process structure: According to the present disclosure, anupdated process structure represents any update of an already existingprocess structure. As such an updated process structure may refer to anymore recent process structure version. For example, a campaign maycomprise a first process structure version and a second processstructure version which is the most recent process structure version. Inthis example, the second process structure version is an updated processstructure.

USER—user: In the present disclosure, a user is a person operating thecampaign management system and/or using the graphical user interface tobuild a process structure or monitor the processing of a campaign. Theuser may for example be an employee of a marketing department, customerservice department, product management, after-sales department, etc.

500—computer: In the present disclosure, computer refers to a machinethat can be instructed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logicaloperations automatically via computer programming.

501—baseboard: In the present disclosure, a baseboard may also bereferred to as a motherboard. The baseboard/motherboard is the printedcircuit board found in the computer 500, which holds and allowscommunication between many of the electronic components of the computer,such as the central processing unit(s) and random-access-memory andprovides connectors for other peripherals.

502—chipset: In the present disclosure, a chipset refers to a set ofelectronic components in an integrated circuit known as a Data FlowManagement System that manages the data flow between the processor,memory and peripherals.

503—CPU(s): In the present disclosure, a CPU refers to a centralprocessing unit which is an electronic circuitry that carries out theinstructions of a computer program by performing the basic arithmetic,logic, controlling and input/output operations specified by theinstructions.

504—RAM: In the present disclosure, RAM refers to random-access-memorywhich is a form of computer data storage that stores data and machinecode currently being used by the central processing unit.

505—ROM: In the present disclosure, ROM refers to read-only-memory whichis a type of non-volatile memory used in computers and other electronicdevices. Data stored in ROM can only be modified slowly, withdifficulty, or not at all, so it is mainly used to store firmware, i.e.software closely tied to specific hardware.

506—storage controller: In the present disclosure a storage controllerrefers to a device that controls storage arrays, and mainly comprisesthe three types of components—“CPU” (central processing unit), “cachememory” and “connection interface with the network and memory devices.”It is otherwise called “storage processor” or “array controller,” amongother names. The storage controller integrates the memory areas inmultiple memory devices and provides them as a single memory area to thecomputer. When receiving a request from the computer to write data, thestorage controller determines to which device from multiple memorydevices the data is allocated and stores the data in the selecteddevice. When it receives a request from the computer to read certaindata, the storage controller finds the location where the relevant datais stored, reads the data from the memory device and transfers it to thecomputer.

507—network interface controller: In the present disclosure a networkinterface controller refers to a computer hardware component thatconnects a computer to a computer network. A network interfacecontroller may also be referred to as a network interface card, networkadapter, LAN adapter or physical network interface.

508—input/output controller: In the present disclosure an input/outputcontroller refers to a chip which help the communication of data betweenthe central processing unit and the baseboard. In other words, theinput/output controller help in the connection and control of variousperipheral devices which are input and output devices. An input/outputcontroller may also be referred to as an I/O controller or IOC, and aperipheral input/output controller or PIOC.

509—network: In the present disclosure a network refers to a computernetwork which is a digital telecommunications network which allows nodesto share resources. In computer networks, computing devices exchangedata with each other using connections (data links) between nodes. Thesedata links are established over cable media such as wires or opticcables, or wireless media such as Wi-Fi.

510—mass storage device: In the present disclosure mass storage refersto a device capable of storing large amounts of data. Devices and/orsystems that have been described as mass storage include tape libraries,RAID systems, and a variety of computer drives such as hard disk drives,magnetic tape drives, magneto-optical disc drives, optical disc drives,memory cards, and solid-state drives. It also includes experimentalforms like holographic memory. Mass storage includes devices withremovable and non-removable media.

511—operating system: In the present disclosure, an operating systemrefers to a system software that manages computer hardware and softwareresources and provides common services for computer programs.

1. A computer implemented campaign management system comprising: one ormore processors; a graphical user interface coupled to the one or moreprocessors; and a computer-readable storage media coupled to the one ormore processors, the computer readable storage media storing thereoncomputer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or moreprocessors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations, theoperations comprising: processing a plurality of participant recordsaccording to a user-configured process structure of a plurality ofconfigured logic templates, the plurality of participant records beingassociated with track histories of the processing, the user-configuredprocess structure being a machine-processable definition of a campaign;modifying a track history associated with a participant record of theplurality of participant records by executing a sequence of one or moreexecutable program fragments according to the user-configured processstructure; and in response to a user action and/or a participant action:suspending executing the sequence of one or more executable programfragments, or resuming executing the sequence of one or more executableprogram fragments.
 2. The computer implemented campaign managementsystem according to claim 1, wherein the process structure isgraphically illustrated by means of the graphical user interface, andwherein the graphical user interface is arranged to display graphicalelements, each graphical element being associated with a logic template.3-22. (canceled)
 23. The computer implemented campaign management systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise, withrespect to a particular participant record of the plurality ofparticipant records: initiating execution of a first executable programfragment of a first configured logic template on the basis of saidparticular participant record; determining for said particularparticipant record a first sequence forward point of said firstconfigured logic template on the basis of said execution of said firstexecutable program fragment on the basis of said particular participantrecord; determining for said particular participant record a secondconfigured logic template based on said determined first sequenceforward point and said process structure defined by said graphicalconnections between sequence forward points and sequence receive pointsof said configured logic templates; and initiating execution of a secondexecutable program fragment of said determined second configured logictemplate on the basis of said particular participant record. 24-29.(canceled)
 30. The computer implemented campaign management systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the campaign management system isconfigured to execute a design mode and a live mode, wherein themanagement system in the design mode executes a graphical designenvironment of the campaign wherein the graphical elements are couplableby a user by using said graphical user interface, the coupling defininga process structure of said executable program fragments on the basis ofsaid configured logic templates in relation to said plurality ofparticipant records, wherein the live mode for the campaign executes theprocess structure designed by the user in the design mode for processingof individual participant records, and wherein the management system, inthe live mode, reads, processes and/or modifies participant attributesof said plurality of participant records by the sequence of one or moreexecutable program fragments according to the process structure. 31.(canceled)
 32. The computer implemented campaign management systemaccording to claim 30, wherein the campaign management system isconfigured for suspension of the execution of the executable programfragments associated to the process structure in the live mode while theprocess structure is modified in the design mode into an updated processstructure.
 33. The computer implemented campaign management systemaccording to claim 30, wherein the processing of individual participantrecords in the live mode involves reading and/or modification of theparticipant attributes of the individual participant record therebyinvoking a progression of the executable program fragments relative tothe process structure of the processing of the participant record.34-37. (canceled)
 38. The computer implemented campaign managementsystem-according to claim 1, wherein the progression of the processingof the plurality of participant records related to a specified campaignare graphically illustrated by means of the graphical user interfacewith reference to or related to graphical elements representingconfigured logic templates of the user-defined process structure asaccumulated numbers of the plurality of participant records having beenprocessed via a certain participant location.
 39. The computerimplemented campaign management system according to claim 1, wherein aprogression of the processing of the plurality of participant recordsrelated to a specified campaign are graphically illustrated by means ofthe graphical user interface with reference to or related to graphicalelements representing configured logic templates of the user-definedprocess structure as accumulated numbers of the plurality of participantrecords, and wherein the graphically illustrated plurality ofparticipant records are filtered with respect to a filtering parameter.40. (canceled)
 41. (canceled)
 42. The computer implemented campaignmanagement system according to claim 1, wherein the graphical userinterface of the campaign management system facilitates a user initiatedsuspension upon activation of the graphical user interface in relationto a specific campaign and wherein a suspension command suspends theprocessing of one or more executable program fragments in response tosaid activation and wherein a resume command resumes the execution ofthe suspended one or more executable program fragments.
 43. The computerimplemented campaign management system according to claim 1, wherein thecampaign management system comprises a graphical button available forthe user triggering a suspension command and triggering a resumecommand.
 44. The computer implemented campaign management systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface of thecampaign management system facilitates a user initiated suspension uponactivation of the graphical user interface in relation to a specificcampaign and wherein a suspension command suspends the processing ofuser specified one or more executable program fragments in response tosaid activation and wherein a resume command resumes the execution ofthe suspended user specified one or more executable program fragments,and wherein the suspended user specified executable program fragment isassociated to a configured logic template of the plurality of configuredlogic templates.
 45. The computer implemented campaign management systemaccording to claim 44, wherein the user specified executable programfragment is user specified by activating a suspension command or aresume command related to a graphical element graphically forming partof the process structure of the campaign.
 46. The computer implementedcampaign management system according to claim 1, wherein said pluralityof configured logic templates comprises one or more interaction logictemplates and said sequence of one or more executable program fragmentsof said one or more interaction logic templates is arranged to establisha communication to a participant contact interface on the basis of saidparticipant contact interface information stored in said plurality ofparticipant records.
 47. (canceled)
 48. (canceled)
 49. The computerimplemented campaign management system according to claim 46, whereinthe execution of an interaction logic template is at least partlysuspended during a test mode of a respective campaign, thereby obtainingthat the participant interaction is suspended in the test mode. 50.(canceled)
 51. The computer implemented campaign management systemaccording to claim 1, wherein a user suspension of the sequence of oneor more executable program fragments of the campaign suspends executionof relevant executable program fragments of the sequence of one or moreexecutable program fragments and thereby freezing a status of theplurality of participant records processed in the campaign.
 52. Thecomputer implemented campaign management system according to claim 1,wherein: a user suspension of the sequence of one or more executableprogram fragments of the campaign suspends execution of relevantexecutable program fragments of the sequence of one or more executableprogram fragments and thereby freezing a state of the plurality ofparticipant records processed in the campaign, said plurality ofconfigured logic templates comprises one or more interaction logictemplates, and the user suspension includes a suspension of executableprogram fragments of the one or more interaction logic templates. 53.The computer implemented campaign management system according to claim1, wherein a user suspension of one or more executable program fragmentsof the campaign suspends execution of relevant executable programfragments with respect to participant records of the plurality ofparticipant records associated to the campaign by allowing a subset ofthe sequence of one or more executable program fragments to finalizeexecution of the respective executable program fragments with respect tothe participant records at specified participant locations.
 54. Thecomputer implemented campaign management system according to claim 53,wherein the subset of the sequence of one or more executable programfragments either suspends further execution of executable programfragments within respect to relevant participant records or initiates apredefined suspension routine with respect to the participant records atthe specified participant locations, thereby allowing a limited numberof executable program fragments subsequent in the process structure toexecute prior to a complete suspension of the execution of executableprogram fragments. 55-60. (canceled)
 61. A method executed by a computerimplemented campaign management system, the campaign management systemcomprising one or more processors, a graphical user interface coupled tothe one or more processors, and a computer-readable storage mediastoring thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed bythe one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to performoperations, the operations comprising: processing a plurality ofparticipant records according to a user-configured process structure ofa plurality of configured logic templates, the plurality of participantrecords being associated with track histories of the processing, theuser-configured process structure being a machine-processable definitionof a campaign; modifying a track history associated with a participantrecord of the plurality of participant records by executing a sequenceof one or more executable program fragments according to theuser-configured process structure; and in response to a user actionand/or a participant action: suspending executing the sequence of one ormore executable program fragments, or resuming executing the sequence ofone or more executable program fragments.
 62. (canceled)